


Undeniable Lust

by Nightmistress41



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Drama, Multi, Romance, Violence, Yakuza, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-24
Updated: 2016-10-11
Packaged: 2018-05-28 18:20:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 102,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6340210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nightmistress41/pseuds/Nightmistress41
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Naruto gets pulled into the yakuza world because of just one fated meeting with Sasuke, can he cut all ties with Sasuke to ensure the safety of his life? Or will the insatiable lust he feels for him drag them both into the pits of no return? SasuNaru (main couple)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Naruto fan fiction. I am enamored with the yakuza world so I'll be having a lot of fun writing the plot. I'm not sure how long this fic will be but I think it will be pretty long. I want to focus a lot on character development and interactions. I hope you enjoy the story as I will put my utmost efforts into making this fun and utterly + devastatingly entertaining. ;)

**Warning: This fiction includes some pretty serious yaoi scenes, that is, boy on boy action. It will also include the use of explicit language and, in later chapters, explicit violence (maybe in the form of torture). If you have an aversion to such things please do not proceed to read any further!**

**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. If I did, I would have had Sasuke and Naruto humping like hot bunnies all night long! XD

* * *

**Undeniable Lust**

Prologue

It was a dark cold night. Hardly anything stirred. However within a prominent office painted in shadows, a brewing conflict was about to take flight.

"Sir, they have infiltrated our office in Kyushu. They are demanding five million yen in cash and for us to stop all activity," the tall menacing head bodyguard reported to the back of the chair belonging to his boss.

"Hn, what are the casualties?" a calm velvety baritone sounded in the room, commanding authority.

"Five of our men are dead. The rest are held captive at the office, including some women and children who had come in to pay off some of their debt," the other ten and equally dangerous bodyguards shifted restlessly as their head spoke. They were more than ready to take action.

"Who was it again that has taken our Kyushu office hostage?" the boss finally swirled around in his chair, his dark eyes flashing dangerously.

"Sir, they call themselves Tornado. They are a yakuza group that has just formed recently and has been quite active. They attacked 'our' Korean and Chinese alliance four months ago and since then had become quiet. Master Shioon and Master Li did not call for an all out punishment on them because what they had stolen were only minor to them. Besides, how would it look if the Korean and Chinese mafia started taking arms and running around in the streets of Japan trying to find a third rate group?"

The boss grunted in agreement.

"I suppose they took that as a free pass to do whatever they wanted," the head bodyguard named Jurou ended.

"That's where they are wrong. It was not our business if the Korean and Chinese mafia gets attacked. I have long been telling the old man to put an end to that useless alliance. Well, whatever. All I know is that this Tornado is going to regret raising their fangs against us. I will wipe them out of existence," the boss, Sasuke Uchiha, stood gracing the room with a deadly smirk.

An involuntary shudder passed through the room.

"Should I contact the chief and inform him of this incident?" Jurou inquired as he watched his boss roll his powerful shoulders.

"No need to bother the old man with something so trivial. I, personally, will take care of this problem before the night is over. Get me thirty of my best men inclusive of the ones in this room. Also do a search on all the bases this Tornado have. Ten of you will come with me to Kyushu and the other twenty will sub-divide and destroy all the bases and do a clean wipe," Sasuke reached under his desk for his shoulder holster.

"It's best to crush cockroaches before they breed and take over the entire place," Sasuke's deadly handsome face held only ice with a slight touch of disgust. There was going to be a blood bath tonight. He looked out the window at the full moon as he secured his trusty Glock G17 at his right holster at his shoulders and a custom-made Woodsman model that he fondly called Exterminator at his left.

It was time to do his business transaction. He whipped around, his dark clothes fluttering elegantly around him. He headed for the door with his bodyguards in black not far behind.


	2. The Beginnings

**Chapter One**

The sun's cheerful rays peeped through pregnant white clouds creating a warm, bright morning. A cool breeze gently blew from the north, rustling dry leaves lingering on the ground and those still perched on trees. They, the leaves, were gloriously painted in colours of red and yellow and contributed immensely to the autumn atmosphere. Ah, what peace….

Yeah right. "I am going to be late! The last thing I need is that devil of a boss to catch me being late for work!" Naruto shouted while increasing his speed as he ran to the Sakai Train Station clutching tightly to his leather briefcase and coat. He cared not for the innocent people he bounced into and trampled on as he got out his train pass. He had to get to work on time and that was all that mattered. Well, so much for that peace.

Thirty minutes later found Naruto catching his breath in front of his boss's office with his suit slightly askew. But hey, at least he was on time. Anybody would know better than to come late to work while working for Asa Pharmaceuticals Corporation; much less if you were working as the boss's personal secretary. Hurriedly, Naruto fixed his clothes and knocked briefly on the mahogany door sporting a golden plate stating 'Kakashi Hatake- A.P.C's CEO'. After a deep 'come in', Naruto entered the office cautiously. The other thing that was worrisome was his boss's bastardly ways. It was as if messing with him was his own personal stress reliever. If you asked Naruto, he would tell you that he thought that Kakashi had more than enough stress relievers, if you know what he meant.

The office was darkened due to the deep sea blue drapes being drawn. A single dull lamp stood on the large oak desk at the centre of the room. Behind the desk sat the devil, Kakashi Hatake, with an air of majesty and an arrogant smirk. Well he couldn't see his lips due to it being covered by a fashionable dark scarf but knowing Kakashi for four years, the young man knew when he was being a butt. His boss also wore on an eye patch on his right eye. Weird, but he was the boss not him.

Honestly, the guy was handsome, striking, dashing, whatever one wanted to call him. With his smoky gray eyes that matched the colour of his hair, and his mysterious aura, he had girls at his beck and call. But Naruto knew his damning personality, a cynical man with too much of a sense of humour. Sometimes he thought that it was really a misfortune that he had to work under this man. However, despite all the grievances he felt, he held only utmost respect for this man which gave him an opportunity to be independent in society.

"You do know that you're a few seconds late, right?" the baritone voice echoed throughout the office with a pinch of amusement in it.

"Yeah, but I entered the company on time so you can't fire me, Kakashi," irritation laced Naruto's voice as he briskly walked to the drapes and roughly pulled them open. Bright light flooded into the office and as Naruto suspected, Kakashi groaned and shielded his eyes. He grinned in silent pleasure. Of course, Kakashi had too much of a fun night last night.

"Well, well, someone just doesn't learn. What did I tell you about drinking and partying on a Sunday night? You damn well know you have work early on a Monday morning. What can I say, Kakashi, you just can't teach an old dog new tricks," he lectured, sounding more like a mother than a secretary. This familiar relationship between boss and employee was formed from their four years together and their cordial compatibility. Of course, Naruto could not be this familiar in front of his superiors.

"Whatever. Suck it up because at 9:30a.m, you have an important meeting with the branch members in Kyoto to discuss the new products being created and the sales for the past month. Unfortunately, you cannot skip this meeting and I cannot go in your stead because believe it or not, I have work to do. I have already prepared the materials for the presentation so all that's left is you," Naruto frowned.

With a sigh, he reached into his briefcase and pulled out a bottle of water and painkillers. He gave them to Kakashi. How could he allow his boss to go to present data with a hangover (as much as he deserved it)? Kakashi took them gratefully. Naruto was too nice for his own good. He stepped back outside of Kakashi's office and placed his things in his own office located in front of his boss's. After a few minutes of taking calls and rearranging Kakashi's schedule, he went to find the devil. To his relief he was back in tip top shape.

"Okay, the car is now here to escort you to the meeting. Don't mess up just because I'm not there," he grinned.

"Oh please, you think too much of yourself. I will not be returning to the office for the day so feel free to leave at the end of normal work hours," Kakashi ruffled the tanned young man's blonde hair affectionately before he began to walk towards the elevator. Before Naruto could insist on walking him out, he called over his shoulders, "And try to get laid once in a while, would you?"

Naruto began to sputter indigently. Many of the other workers turned to look at Naruto in amusement. Yep, Kakashi was an ass.

Turning around, Naruto re-entered his office and closed his door. Well, he might as well just forget about his stupid boss and his sex life cracks. Contrary to popular belief, he had a healthy sex life. It was just that he did not broadcast it worldwide. After all, it was a private matter. He was a good looking guy so girls often came around. Some nights he had it rough; some, he liked it wild. Well if he thought about it, it was the same thing. Ah, since he was leaving early today, maybe he could pick up a girl from the corner and maybe a box of condoms. Hey, safety always came first.

But for now, he focused his mind and began to finish his day's paper work.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

Sasuke sighed as he entered his penthouse at the break of dawn. Even he had to admit that it was a little too big for just him but he was not inclined to search for a new one. Silently, he shed his heavy coat and left it on the ground. Disgust curled on his lips as he stared at the slight blood that dripped from it. Without further a due, he shed the rest of his clothes but not before carefully putting down his shoulder holster with his two guns in it. Just then, the maid walked in. She took one look at him, squeaked, and then turned to walk back out.

Sasuke, too irritated to play games, stated in a cold voice, "Where the fuck are you going? Bring your ass back here and do your goddamn job." He was by no means abashed by his naked appearance.

Fear shone on the unnamed maid's face. She knew exactly what a dangerous man Uchiha was and was in no hurry to get on his wrong side. But she could not help but blush and avert her eyes from the porcelain and well sculpted body that stood before her. What she would have given to get a piece of that hot ass but she knew her boundaries. Taking out gloves, she quickly put them on then proceeded to pick up the dirty clothes that lay on the floor. After she put them in a basket, she cleaned the floor with bleach thoroughly.

By the time she was done, she realized that Uchiha had long gone to take his bath. A little saddened, she took the clothes and left.

In the shower, Sasuke had the water at its hottest. He wanted to wash away his fatigue and muscle aches. He had spent the entire night fighting and wiping his office at Kyushu clean of the germs and parasites called Tornado. When he arrived at Kyushu, the guys had the gall to give him a warm welcome as if he was the type of man to comply with their wishes of surrendering and giving them five million yen. Well, they had another thing coming.

Sasuke wasted no time in pulling out his Glock G17 and shooting the so-called leader in the head. Well, that gave them the message that they were not cooperating. A shootout commenced and it showed how much of amateurs these 'Tornado chips' were. Most of their shots were off-target and the few that were on were expertly dodge by his men and him. It was a sad show that ended only thirty minutes after it began. No man was spared.

After the disappointing performance, Sasuke called to find out the progress his other twenty had made in finding the pathetic gang's other hideouts. Three were already found and annihilated. They were then heading to the fourth and last one in Himeji. It was a damn long drive from Kyushu but another long one wasn't going to cost him much more. He ordered them to be on stand-by until he had arrived.

He reached Himeji in two hours flat, driving at top speed. He met with the group at the back of the hideout. It was only five of them since the group of twenty had divided into four groups to tackle the other bases. He only took Jurou with him and left the rest of the bodyguards in the cars. When they had finally burst into the hideout, there were only about fifteen men. The others were obviously informed of the attack and escaped. Damn! In his fury, he did not bother to use his guns but instead, he took out his six-inch knife and began slicing those that came running toward him. One persistent one got him irritated enough to hold him in a headlock and slowly slit his throat. It satisfied him when he heard the poor bastard gurgled and choked on his own blood before kicking the bucket.

That was how all the blood found its way on him. However, what disturbed him as he searched around the hideout for any clues as to where the survivors had escaped was the letter he found. It said,

_I am certain that it is you who are reading this, Uchiha. You have done a great job in attacking the Tornados. Well, I did warn them that they were doing something stupid when they challenged you like that. But you know youths; they think they are invincible until you knock them off their high horse. But then again, if they did not do that, I would not have gotten to see you perform at your best. Oh, your swift and agile movements as you ended many lives just brought shivers down my spine. As a reward for entertaining me I would tell you something good. You see the gang Tornados? They were just the beginning. They were the lowest in the organization that was formed recently with the sole purpose of taking you down. That's right; this was just the start of a big plan to take you and your group down. So be on the lookout for more attacks from us. Right now, we are nameless but you should not take us lightly. Well, I should not even be telling you this but, I thought I would help you out before you fall into the big pit of despair._

_Until we meet,_

_Your admirer._

He frowned as the jets of water washed away the soap on his body. As sick as the person who wrote the letter sounded, this was a serious matter. Of course, he did not tell his men of his findings as they returned to Kyoto. He was going to do his own research and diggings before he brought this matter to the old man. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the feel of the water trickling down his spine. It felt great.

These guys obviously did not know who they were dealing with. His organization owned almost 65% of Japan. They would crush all those who stood in their way. Their influence also extended to Europe and the United States. Yet, whoever this organization was, it was not to be taken lightly. Tomorrow he would visit his informant, Hatake and get so more info. He better not be busy.

Nevertheless in his chest, he could not control the excitement, anticipation that steadily built until it echoed in his eyes as he opened it. His face was still a cold mask however his eyes were a smoldering dark gray. He was born for danger, lived for danger. The past few days had been goddamn boring. This new organization better be as entertaining as they were making themselves out to be.


	3. Violent Much?

**Chapter Two**

Last night was a horror. This was how it had happened:

_Naruto, as he had planned to do after leaving work, strode around until he spotted a tall brunette hottie. She was standing by a small fountain busy texting away on her phone. She had on a tight denim mini-skirt, a fitted '2 Gud 4 U' t-shirt covered by a high-collared jacket and stylish boots. She wore her curly hair down to cover her slender neck. Naruto could not help but just stand and admire his target. After fifteen minutes of useless ogling like a virgin, he approached the female with a confident, almost arrogant smirk. He had messed up his blond locks, undid his tie and unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt to reveal more sun-kissed skin. His sparkling ocean blue eyes only added to the addictive vibes he intentionally wanted to emit. Most women stopped to check out the drop dead sexy man that practically prowled toward the fountain and began to have wild fantasies involving him in the centre. They thought he was gorgeous but he_ _**knew** _ _it._

_The brunette who had long since sensed the change in her surroundings looked up and spotted Naruto almost immediately. She definitely could not have rejected the man that was so obviously coming unto her. That was why after a few minutes of Naruto 'chatting' her up, she was ready to go with him anywhere. To her, it was no matter that she was just then waiting for her boyfriend to arrive to go on a date. The guy was twenty times better looking than her boyfriend. Plus, how would he find out? Well that was what her hormonal mind was saying anyway._

_Normally, he would have headed to his three bedroom apartment in Sakai for the night with his intended one-night stand. However, his instinct told him to go to a love hotel only a few blocks from where he was. It did not take long for him to book a room of the lady's choice and settle in for the night. He did not bother to learn of the young woman's name as to him, it was useless since they would never meet again. Surprisingly, the girl showed no hesitation as they got on to 'business'. She flirted and declined when he insisted on warming up to the new atmosphere with a glass of wine. Huh, well he might have taken up someone who was a little too accustomed to this. Lucky thing he had picked up that box of condoms from the nearby convenient store. Yep, it was better to be cautious than sorry._

_In the middle of foreplay, with Naruto fondling the young woman's breasts and lightly kissing her neck, a loud banging ensued from the door. Both of their clothes were off, the girl was damn wet and moaning and Naruto was plenty aroused. So you could understand how he felt when the banging continued insistently. He became irrationally angry that he could not ignore it like he wanted to and with a growl and a loud 'fuck', Naruto stormed to the door and ripped it open with a rude 'what?' You just don't disturb a man when he was in his mood. What he did not expect was for the stranger, a huge strapping man, to roughly push past him and enter the room. He heard a surprised squeak from the brunette on the bed and the man began shouting expletives at her. Apparently, they knew each other. Wisely, Naruto gave them the time they needed to work out whatever this problem was. From the frantic excuses and cries, it did not take long for him to figure out that the brunette was in some sort of relationship with that hulk of a dude. Wow and how did he find her in such a short space of time? Hey, desperate much? Naruto silently laughed. Yeah, his night of fun had been ruined but what could he do? He could not possibly go and tell the dude, 'Hey, we were kind of in the middle of something. Can you just go and take a walk in the park for half an hour and then come back?' That was just plain rude._

_So, having gone limp already and deeming this a waste of his time and money, he decided to just take his things and leave. They could figure out their problems without a witness around. Even if he was the cause of their problems, he was not the one that stuck a gun to her head and forced her to come have sex with him. It was when he heard a resounding slap in the bedroom, he knew that whether he liked it or not, he had to intervene._

_He sauntered toward the man, grabbed his shoulders and turned him around. Yeah, the lady looked for her trouble but there was something wrong with a big hulking dude slapping a woman three times smaller than him. Too surprised to dodge, Naruto received a right hooker on the left side of his jaw. He stumbled back more from the shock than from the power of the punch and he glared at the man who looked back at him with slight disgust. Whoops, Naruto realized he was still naked. Ah geez, he tended to forget little facts like that since he was always so comfortable in his birthday suit. Hey, his body was in tip top shape, slender but muscled and rippled in just the right places. There was nothing to be ashamed of and so, there was nothing he had to hide. But the stinging pain from his jaw made him forget all about that and he angrily focused on the dude he rightly deemed as 'Hulk'. Rational thoughts flew out of his mind when he lunged at Hulk with rage. Normally, he kept his anger in check because he knew he got a little too violent otherwise. But that night, the deprivation of his sex coupled with the purple bruise he was sure to have by the next day, he just could not hold himself back. He punched 'Hulk' in his nose and felt mute satisfaction when he heard the cartilage break. The dude grunted in pain and fell to his knees. And with power 'Hulk' did not expect from the lithe man, he kicked him upside the head. The robust man fell to the floor; a loud echoing roar in his head signaled the pain he was feeling._

_So wound up Naruto was, even when the guy fell to the ground, he did not stop there. He delivered three powerful kicks to his ribs that had the man sputtering pleas for him to stop. In disgust, he grabbed a handful of the man's hair and asked him what he meant. 'Hulk' wanted to play rough before and now when it was his turn he wanted to stop? Fuck him! He slammed his head into the floor and gave him the beating of his life. It was only when the brunette began crying and shielding the wounded man from Naruto did he stop. Silently, he put back on his clothes and retrieved his things. Before he left, he shot the girl who was cradling the unconscious man with a disgusted look. She recoiled at the severe gaze and glanced down in guilt. She didn't even look up when she heard the door slam shut. All in all, this was her fault._

_Naruto, already at inner peace with himself, called a cab to come pick him up. The last train out of Osaka was already gone. Damn, if Kakashi found out about the fight tonight, there would be hell to pay. Kakashi knew about Naruto's violent tendencies but still allowed him to work for him with the promise that he would avoid all fights and sticky situations. But he wasn't always that lucky. It was as if he was a magnet for trouble. He sighed; he really needed to get a stress reliever pastime like smoking. In his mind, he made a mental note not to go after pretty women after this night. They most likely would already be involved with someone and to prevent the same incident that occurred a few minutes earlier, they would have to be avoided like the plague. It was a shame though, was what he thought. He only hoped that 'Hulk' would not hold any grudge against him and hunt him down with a few of his buddies for a little revenge. Not that he could not defend himself, but it would be too troublesome to fix the mess it would cause later. It was a lucky thing that he did not bring the girl home in Sakai. That would have been a recipe for an eminent disaster. He looked toward the starless sky and thought, if only life could be as simple yet beautiful as you._

_Fifteen minutes later, the cab drove up and Naruto hopped in. Oh how much the phrase, 'Home Sweet Home' sounded so fantastic at the moment._

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

Now, in his office, he was nursing a terrible headache and was quite cranky. Apparently, the hit on the jaw did do more damage than he had expected. To make matters worse, he left the bottle of painkillers in Kakashi's office yesterday. When he had asked his boss where they were, he put on the most innocent face and said that he did not know what the man was talking about. Naruto knew damn well that Kakashi had it hidden somewhere. However, if he insisted on getting the bottle back, Kakashi would know that something was up. He was a sharp man after all. He did not want the silver-haired man to find out that he was in a fight the previous night or worse, he did not want him to think that he was trying to ease a headache of a 'hangover received from a party that went too wild'. That would seem a little hypocritical of him. So instead, he slunk back to his office in a foul mood after reading to Kakashi his day's schedule.

Wondering how no one noticed the blue black bruise on his face? Ah, make up was such a wonderful thing. No, it's not what you think. Naruto did not keep a stash of make up at home for 'vague' purposes. He simply stopped by a convenience store early that morning and bought some concealer that was his skin tone. Not even the cashier watched him funny when he noticed the blue-black swollen jaw. In fact, he called one of his female co-workers to help the blonde apply it to his face and was he ever grateful. Granted, his jaw did look deformed and swollen but he could always convince Kakashi that it was allergies.

After a few hours of torture at his desk of trying to concentrate on his paper work, he gave up and went to take a walk. It was lunch break anyway. When he passed a convenient store, an idea popped into his head. Why didn't he just buy some more painkillers? Then he chuckled to himself. Sometimes, he really did act like a blonde. Convenient stores were really a life saver. They had every thing from medicine to pantyhose to fishing nets. And there was one every few blocks. Whoa, now he sounded like he was advertising as he happily popped to painkillers he had just bought into his mouth, swallowing them dry. It was nearly the end of his break so he headed back to the company.

He was not thirty minutes into his work when the ding of the elevator distracted him. He did not understand why the walls of his office were so paper thin that he could have practically heard a pin drop. Kakashi, with his soundproof walls, said it was so that he could monitor whatever went on outside the office with his other employees in place of him. But he thought that Kakashi did it to personally annoy him. Normally, he would have ignored the sounds from outside his glass door which directly faced the elevators but today, he looked up as the elevator doors opened. Out stepped a man in a silk dark blue shirt with the top three buttons undone, an Armani slacks that fitted snugly on his hips and a heavy leather coat thrown over everything. On his feet was a pair of shiny designer shoes that complimented his outfit. A bulky Calvin Klein watch sat on his left wrist above a pair of black leather gloved hands that were casually shoved in his pants pockets. Immediately, the man commanded the attention of the entire room. All workers had ceased working and were staring at the much-too-handsome man. An air of arrogance and authority wove around him. Behind him stepped a man in a grey tux with dark sunglasses on. He also had a pair of leather gloves. Naruto shook himself and briskly stood up. He knew yakuza when he saw one. The guy in the gray tux remained by the elevator door while the more intimidating one gracefully strolled towards Naruto's office.

It was not the first time that a dangerous person had come to Asa Pharmaceuticals Corporation. However, the others where loud, obnoxious and like a ticking time bomb. They shouted and threatened and Naruto called the police to take care of them instantly. Easy and simple. This one, on the other hand, was silent and calm; his cold face represented calculative intelligence that was ready to act if a situation took a wrong turn. This man was more than dangerous. Naruto's eyes narrowed, doing his own calculations of how much of a chance he had if this situation turned sour but was interrupted when the man knocked once on his door then entered. The attractive man barely glanced at him before proceeding to Hatake's office. Naruto knew he had to act.

Quickly, he dashed in front of his man's path. He paid no attention to the irritation that flashed across the good-looking man's face as he spoke, "Sir, do you have an appointment with Mr. Hatake?" The blonde already knew the answer since he was the one who made Kakashi's schedules. But he gave the man a chance to speak.

All he got in response was a "hn".

It was Naruto's turn to become irritated, "Then sir, due to company policy, you cannot see Mr. Hatake now. If you wish, you could set up an appointment to see Mr. Hatake tomorrow."

It surprised Naruto when the guy just glanced at him below his haughty nose then roughly shoved him to the side with a strength even he did not expect. At seemed that lately, he was getting a lot of shoves. The stranger continued to walk towards Kakashi's office. A low murmur had risen outside the office. The cerulean-eyed man followed after the man and grabbed his shoulders. With an agility that surprised him yet again, the man twisted out of Naruto's grip and targeted a punch at his abdomen. It was the stranger's turn to be surprised when Naruto expertly dodged the punch and came in for one of his own. His mild surprise turned into scorn and he quickly swiped Naruto's legs from beneath him and before he could hit the ground, the stranger delivered a blow to Naruto's already damaged face with more strength behind it than he should have exerted.

The stranger coldly viewed the employee's unconscious form with slight pity. If he had been anyone else, he was certain that the blonde could have over powered him easily. But today was the guy's unlucky day. He had to admit, though, the blonde was quite attractive, a little over average. It was too bad that his hit would ruin the face, well, ruin it more. With his trained eyes, he had noticed the bruise on the tan skin that was covered in make-up. With a small start, he realized that he felt a tiny bit of interest for the guy that lay unconscious as if he was asleep. He quickly squashed the notion because he simply was too much of a busy man to indulge in such time-wasting activities like satisfying idiotic curiosities. He glanced outside the office as the other employees observed in terror. He sighed, Hatake was going to pay.

Without much effort, he lifted the unconscious dobe over his shoulders and walked to Hatake's door. He didn't knock as he entered.

"Naruto, what did I tell you abou-," Kakashi paused when he saw who it really was. His slightly playful demeanor transformed into a serious façade. A frown marred his features when he took notice of his unconscious secretary over the man's shoulders.

"Sasuke, what did you do?" Kakashi briskly walked toward Sasuke and lifted Naruto off his shoulders. He winced slightly when he saw the prominent purple blue and black bruise that now took over the left side of Naruto's face. Kakashi glared at Sasuke.

All the dark haired man did was moving his shoulders slightly in his form of a shrug. "He was in the way," was all that was said.

"He was just doing his job. He had no knowledge of you or your privilege of being able to see me whenever you want. But that does not give you the justification to literally knock his senses out. If only you had communicated like a normal human being, this could have been cleared up without any violence! I expect you to take care of the mess you made." Kakashi looked pointedly at Naruto. Sasuke frowned but said nothing at the stern look he received. The gray-haired man sighed then gently rested Naruto flatly on the sofa in the corner of his office. "I assume you came to do business." When he received a nod he continued, "Wait a moment as I go and settle things outside. I don't need my employees thinking that they are in the middle of a terrorist raid. Geez, Sasuke, you could have used a little more discretion." He left the office.

After a few minutes, he returned with a wet towel which he laid across the blonde's left side of his face. Sasuke had already taken a seat across from his office chair. He didn't bother to also take a seat but instead, he rested his hip against his desk. "What is so urgent that you had to come to my office without even a call?"

Sasuke then told him about the series of events from yesterday leading up to the present in intricate detail. When he was done, Kakashi took some time to digest the information. "So, there is a new organization out to take you guys down. Well, I knew about Tornado's formation but they were such small fries that I did not expect them to make such a bold move. Unless, it was also a part of this new organization's plans." Kakashi mused for a second.

"Are you saying that they sacrificed so many people from their organization just as an introduction?" Sasuke mildly said.

"It may seem so. Maybe, it was also to test how you would react. Wasn't it you who read the letter? Why are you asking such a question? Hmm, maybe the organization is so large that they can afford to waste such man-power. I mean, they have to have a vast number to go against Chief Kimikaze. But, to think that someone set up such an organization so quietly is unbelievable. The leaders must also hold great influence in Japan. But still, killing off so many of their men in a single minor mission shows how sinister and ruthless they are. Honestly, I didn't even notice anything strange was happening in the underworld," Kakashi smirked. "I guess, I know what to look out for now. But if there is something I know, it is that this is a large-scale conflict. Someone finally wants to knock the Kimikaze group from power in Japan."

Sasuke stared ahead for a moment. "Like if that would happen. With me at the old man's side, we would not lose. Besides I've been craving some action for a while now."

Kakashi made an exasperated noise, "Kid, that's the reason you should be even more cautious. They know you're a force to be reckoned with but still, you are only human. Just keep your eyes peeled. I will do some research and try to infiltrate this group. You are by no means to contact me physically again. I will do the contacting. Don't worry, I'll find you wherever you are. From this moment on, we have to be twice as careful. I might contact you two weeks from now but until then, don't do anything stupid. That includes killing off any gang's families. You're already in the top ten of nearly every opposing gang's hit list. Stop competing for first place." Kakashi gave him a stern look and Sasuke vaguely felt like a child again.

He knew Kakashi since he was twelve years old. He was an orphan who had lost his entire family in a midnight assassination mission. Miraculously, he had survived but not without scars, both physically and mentally. Kakashi then adopted and raised him as his own son until age nineteen when Sasuke left to make a name for himself. Even then, he still kept in contact with Kakashi. To Sasuke, he was the most important person in his life. Of course, he would never tell Kakashi this.

Since the brief meeting was now over, he nodded to Kakashi and was heading towards the door when a voice stopped him. "Didn't I say to take care of the mess you made?" Kakashi evil voice rang through the office. Sasuke could not refuse or resist. Reluctantly, he returned, picked up Naruto in his arms then turned to leave. Kakashi grinned cheerfully.

"Take care of my dear secretary. He can have the day off tomorrow. But that doesn't mean that you can take advantage of him if you get sexually frustrated! We both know how often that happens!" A tick had developed in his right eye by the time he reached his sleek black Sedan. Why did Kakashi have to be so fucking annoying? But he could not bring himself to hate his father-figure. He allowed Jurou to open the back door and he gracefully slipped into the car careful not the hit the blonde's head on the door. The guy was a little light for his size. Then again, the man felt slender in his arms, opposed to the impression the suit, which he wore, gave. Sasuke watched curiously as the blonde's head lulled to the side on his chest. After a while, the dark-eyed male decided to ignore the guy until he reached his penthouse in Kyoto. What was in his lap was a little too troublesome for him at the moment. He preferred not to think upon it lest it brought him to think of less than innocent thoughts.


	4. Home Sweet Home?

**Chapter Three**

"I-It would seem that the U-Uchiha has become aware of o-ou-our existence, master," a dirty man with matted hair groveled and stuttered at the feet of his leader. The room was devoid of artificial light. The only light came from the half moon which shone through the glass windows into the fairly large room bare, of nothing but the two occupants in the room. The leader sat in a wooden antique chair while the other sat rightfully at his feet. Even with the light of the moon, the leader's face was cast in shadows. Yet, the supposed servant's face was only filled with utter fear, his eyes wide in desperation.

"Indeed he has. If my plans go right, I would have the Uchiha at my side and the Kimikaze group forever wiped out of existence. Do you think it would work out according to plan?" just from the tone of his voice, one could tell that he did not give a rat's ass what the servant had to say. He supposed he was just waiting for the servant to slip up and make a mistake so that he would have an excuse to kill him in cold blood.

"Yes, because it is you, the plan will not fail," the servant in his desperation to please his master, clung to his pants.

Disgust rippled on his face and he pointed out, "Hmmm, seems like this servant has forgotten his place. You forgot to call me master and then you dare to have the gall to touch me." It was a measly excuse but one that worked for him just as well. He kicked the poor servant's face causing him to fly a few feet away from him. The slight man got up coughing up blood and trying to stem the flow of blood from his nose.

The leader got up, the servant's eyes widened even more from the sheer terror he felt. On the commanding man's face was a crazed look. A wild grin threatened to almost split his face in two as he pulled out his 8-inch knife and gently rubbed it against his face. It was shiny and silver but he wanted to decorate it red. Without a sound, the servant got up and began to run to the nearest door. The leader looked up from cuddling his knife to stare boredly at the dirty man's desperate attempt to escape. Before he reached two feet from the door, the man holding the knife took aim and pelted it. The servant went down with a pained yelp. The knife had cleanly cut through his lower spinal cord, successfully preventing him from using his feet to run away. Escaping was no longer an option. He whimpered pitifully as he heard the steps of the predator closing in. He attempted to drag himself with his hands to get away but the knife was quickly taken out of his back and swiftly, his both hands were severed from his arms. A bloodcurdling scream arose into the night and was carried off into the wind. Not too far behind was the half-maddened but happy laughter of the leader as he hacked the servant in pieces.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

Naruto woke up with a killer headache. It was so bad that his vision became blinded with white dots. He squeezed his eyes shut and groaned. Shifting, he laid on his belly, burying his face in soft luscious white pillows. They smelt nice. It was a scent of fresh soap, mild cologne and something he could not put his fingers on but nevertheless, it made him want to bury himself even more. After a few minutes of rolling with the pillows and incoherent murmurings, Naruto shot upwards with wide eyes. Nothing in this bed felt familiar.

The bed he was on was king-sized, flipping soft and the colour of white you swore you would never get for fear of just passing your hand on it would get it dirty. He looked around and the room was almost the size of his apartment. The colour scheme of the décor was shades of white, black and navy blue. Despite the dull colours, the room radiated of elegance and class. A small black and white sofa lay at the foot of the bed, looking as though it was more for decoration purposes than for practical use. It looked as though it cost twice as much as he was worth. Two nightstands stood on either side of the bed and were draped stylishly with white and black silk cloth. To his left, a grand collection of books on shelves rose from the floor to touch the ceiling. Next to the many book shelves was an enormous window that was covered with heavy navy blue drapes with trimmings of white patterns to the edges. To the right, a rich mahogany desk with its matching chair with a plump cushion sat quite innocently. Just above it was another grand window that gave a breath-taking view of the city in the bright sunlight. The floor was covered with a black plush carpet.

Where the fuck was he? A slither of fear slinked into the pit of his stomach. Had he gotten into some trouble and was now just awaiting punishment surrounded by the last luxuries he would ever see? He snapped his head to the left when he saw the only grand door into the room open. Once again, he almost passed out from the stabbing pain.

"You still should not be moving yet," a bored voice said as he approached the bed.

Naruto instantly recognized the voice and rage built up within him. Ignoring the pain, he hopped out of bed and made ready to deliver a punch to the bastard who had rudely entered the office then attacked him. Sasuke easily side-stepped him then grabbed his two arms to prevent him from falling over and further embarrassing himself. The blonde struggled and puffed but surrendered after five minutes when he realized that he was completely restricted. He was too tired and in too much pain to put much energy into fighting back. He did not even realize that he was only in his vest and boxers. (Not that it should matter since they were both guys, right?) Before Naruto could think about settling on the floor, Sasuke lifted him and replaced him on the bed with a frown marring his face. He then turned to the pail of water he had brought in. He could not believe that he, a yazuka who had killed his fair share of innocent people, was acting so civil and domestic to the blonde man that was in his own bed.

"Bastard, if I wasn't in so much pain, I would floor you right now," Naruto bluffed to over up the embarrassment he felt at being physically subdued so easily. Shit, he thought he was strong before but now he knew that the dark-haired guy was more than twice as strong as he. Well that was only if he wasn't holding back at that time when they were fighting.

"Hn."

Naruto watched the emotionless man and was reminded once again of his unnatural beauty. The man, up close, had long dark eyelashes that fluttered over equally dark smothering eyes. His lips were a pale pink and pressed into a straight line under his straight, aristocratic nose. He was pale, the type that no amount of sun could turn a shade darker. Almost entranced, Naruto turned his attention to long elegant fingers that worked at a cloth in squeezing out excess water. He wondered if those fingers were good for other purposes. In shock with himself, he stopped thinking completely. What the fuck was going on? Whatever he was doing, he needed to cease it immediately. It did not help that he considered himself straight as a needle. He abruptly turned his head to the side, away from the view of this mysterious man. His anger had long since receded.

An arm shot out and constricted his head from further movement. "What the f-," was Naruto's automatic response but was interrupted when Sasuke spoke over his unimportant gibberish. "Stop moving. I'm having a hard time taking care of you as it is. Keep your head turned towards me; your face ain't a pretty sight at the moment," his tone was harsh and yet it did not seem like he cared much. To him, it was just a simple task that Kakashi had given him to do.

Naruto, recognizing this, followed instructions and put whatever distracting thoughts he had of the man in the storage part of his mind for further contemplation at a later time. By now, he realized that he was in this stranger's house. "Why are you doing this then?"

"Because Kakashi told me to take responsibility for knocking out his secretary," was his crisp answer indicating that this conversation was over. A pang of disappointment rang through Naruto but he remained silent and allowed Sasuke to place the cold ice pack covered with a cloth over the left side of his face. Ah, he felt a soothing relief almost instantly. He reached his hand up to hold it in place.

Sasuke walked to the door to leave but not before he left some final instructions. "I have important business to take care of at the moment. You will stay here and rest until I return. Furthermore, a maid will come to take care of your other needs. Please behave yourself."

When the door finally closed, Naruto had to breathe a sigh of minute relief. The guy was a bastard and his cold and unemotional vibes were practically suffocating him. But then again, he did not expect much from a gang member. Most likely, the so-called business he had to do was to torture a man for information or money. Instead of the usual slap of disgust that he would feel of knowing such things, he felt a sense of curiosity. How would the man act in such a situation? Would his face show something other than a blank sheet of paper? How far up in the yakuza organization was he? He sighed roughly. Why was he so obsessed about this man. Maybe it was because of the injury to his face. Yeah that must have been it. A good nice rest should cure that up. Without a next thought he snuggled further into the sheets and fell asleep.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

It was late afternoon when Sasuke returned to his room. He had to ensure that business was up and running as usual in Kyushu after the attack otherwise there would be some loss in profits. If that happened, then his boys would have to manually go to people's houses and collect the monthly fees from people who were brave enough to borrow money from them. However, this was a situation he would have liked to avoid. This was because although the burrowers had a right to pay back their loans, they always got unjustifiably hostile and self-righteous when yakuza members paid unexpected visits to their homes. Maybe it was because the man of the house needed to put on a show of alpha male in front of his family or to pretend that they were financially stable. Either way, it always ended with some harsh threats and some difficulty in collecting the full payment in the end. It was a headache to deal with and created more work for him.

After that, he had some meetings with lower management, instructing him to be a little tighter in terms of security. Whatever that was about to go down with this new enemy, he wanted his men to be prepared. Later, in his office at Kyoto, he had to organize the group's finances. He usually asked his accountant to do it but he wanted to ensure that everything was in his control. He allotted a fixed amount to each subgroup and sent the bulk of the money to the boss. He made a few calls to ensure that all the money was sent and not even a cent was misplaced. Following that, he spent the rest of the afternoon overviewing papers that dealt with the companies they owned. It was only when Jurou, his bodyguard, told him he should call it a day that he remembered that he had a guest at home. Muttering a swear, he quickly made a mental note of where he stopped in his paper work and had Jurou drive him to his penthouse.

Upon entering his dark room, he switched on the light. The sleeping blonde didn't even shift. He called to his maid.

"Yes, sir?"

"Did you give the guest anything to eat?"

"No sir. I tried waking him up but he wouldn't wake up no matter how many times I called," the maid shifted uncomfortably under his heavy gaze.

Sasuke clicked his tongue in annoyance. He wasn't sure who annoyed him more: the maid who didn't follow his instructions or the dope that slept for the entire day. He lazily strolled towards the bed. He noticed that the ice-pack had been changed to a cloth. Removing it, he observed the swollen mess that was the left side of the blonde's face. Even his left eye was slightly swollen. There was also dried blood on the pillow below his head. He pulled out his phone and called his private doctor. Hatake would have his head if he saw how bad his secretary's injury was. Shit, he knew he should have used less force. With the assurance that the doctor would reach within the hour, Sasuke shook the blonde's shoulders to wake him up. When he didn't get a response, he increased the 'intensity' of the shake. It took a full five minutes before the dobe groggily opened his eyes. He instantly winced and tried to clasp the left side of his face which was in agony. Doing that only increased the pain so he settled for pressing his right side of his face into the pillow. Noticing the presence of someone else in the room, he looked up to see the yakuza from the office looking down at him. Instantly, feelings of resentment filled him because this man was the reason for his pain right then.

Having a hard time keeping his left eye open, he glared at the man and mumbled, "What the fuck are you looking at?" Even talking was a bit difficult. Yeah, he had his share of vicious fights but this was the first time he came out of a fight with only one punch to his face making him feel like road kill.

"Get another ice pack for me," The raven instructed the maid. He turned and rinsed the cloth in the bucket of water on the bedside table. The maid returned with the ice pack. Sasuke took it from her then told her to change the water in the bucket. He sat next to the occupant of the bed and pressed the ice pack to the injury. Naruto hissed and flinched away from the other.

Sasuke, telling himself to be patient, spoke quietly, "It needs to be continuously iced to help with the inflammation. The swelling might get worse."

"I know but let me do it. You have the gentleness of a gorilla," Naruto said as he took the ice pack and cloth from him.

"Hn," was all he said as he stood and began taking off his watch and jacket. When he began unbuttoning his shirt, Naruto began to feel unreasonably embarrassed. That feeling changed to anger then to confusion. Shit, it was like he was going through puberty all over again.

Clearing his dry throat, he asked, "Hey, what's your name? It feels weird to not know it having spent almost... I'm guessing, twenty-four hours in your home." His voice came out all raspy and weird. He really needed a drink of water.

Sasuke froze. The blonde's hoarse voice sent a tremor down his spine which ended in his groin. It was a voice he wanted to hear over and over again if he ever had his way with him. He almost couldn't believe a voice could be so appealing. Almost... but his semi-hard dick made denial impossible. He needed to get laid soon.

"Sasuke," then said man walked through a door he hadn't noticed before on the south wall. When he heard the sounds of a shower turning on, he deduced that that must be the bathroom.

"A man of few words..." Naruto muttered as the maid entered the room with a bucket of water. She then proceeded to ask him to shift forward so that she could have the pillow behind him. As she lifted it, he noticed the blood on it. Although, he knew it wasn't his fault, he still felt bad for dirtying the snow white fabric. Speaking of dirty... of those twenty -four hours he spent there, he hadn't taken a bath. And also, he hadn't contacted his boss! In a panic, he hopped out of the bed and rushed towards the door he saw Sasuke enter from. He ignored the dizziness and pain. When he came face-to-face with the maid outside the door, they both jumped in surprise.

"Uh, do you know where my phone is?" Naruto hoarsely asked after an awkward pause.

"Yes sir, I will get it for you right away. However in the mean time, please return to the bed." The maid was a small cute thing with smooth shiny hair falling to her back and glasses that made her look more intelligent. If Naruto didn't feel like his left face was falling off, he would have flirted a bit.

"That is a bit difficult to do, seeing as how I could practically smell myself. It's not a good smell by the way," Naruto was getting irritated because all he wanted to do was take some pain meds, have a bath, drink some water and then sleep for a decade.

"Oh, um, then I-I would have to ask Sasuke-sama, if you could take one," she stuttered nervously.

Naruto placed a hand on the woman's shoulder. "What's your name, darling?"

"Mira, sir," she blushed a bit.

"Mira, sweetheart, do you think a grown man like me should be asking permission to take a bath?"

"No but-,"

"Then can you please lead me to a bathroom so that I could feel a little better about my situation. There must be another one in this huge place," Naruto shifted his head slightly to indicate his surroundings.

"Yes, but-" the maid protested again.

Naruto cut her off once again but this time it was because his headache had increased tenfold, making him want to throw up. "Bathroom!"

Mira wasted no time in swiftly leading him to the guest bathroom. Naruto barely made it to toilet before emptying his stomach contents into the bowl. He didn't know how long he spent dry heaving into the toilet bowl but by the time he regained some level of awareness he realized that the maid was replaced with Sasuke and a blonde woman. He was certain the blonde woman was asking questions but he was too exhausted and sweaty to even try to care. The ringing in his left ear made it hard for him to concentrate on anything so he decided to lay his head on the cool white tiles and take a nap.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

"... you should have..."

"Stop... do your..."

"... in your ass so you can't walk for the rest of the day."

Naruto couldn't help but chuckle at the last statement he heard as he woke up fully. The two people fell quiet at the sound. The male blonde cracked his right eye open to look at the two people. It was Sasuke and a blonde woman. There was a stethoscope around her neck. That could only mean that she was a doctor of some kind. She leaned towards him and smiled.

"Hello, Naruto. How do you feel?"

"L-like," Naruto cleared his throat a couple times. The doctor understanding his dilemma passed a glass of water to him. He sat up and gratefully gulped down the water almost choking a few times.

"Slowly now," the blonde women instructed then threw a glare Sasuke's way.

Naruto took the chance to take in his surroundings. He was back in the yakuza's room. When he felt a pinch on his right arm above his elbow joint, he glanced down to see an IV line present connected to saline solution. He was wearing a robe and he knew that there was nothing underneath.

"How do you feel? Do you know where you are? What day it is?" the doctor asked again.

Naruto ruffled his hair a bit. He was no longer in any pain. "I almost feel like a million bucks. I'm quite certain my appearance doesn't reflect it though." He glanced sideways as he contemplated the other questions. "I'm in the bastard's house but I'm a little confused about the time."

"That's fine. I gave you a mild anesthetic for the pain. Now that you are conscious I want to run a few tests on you." When she saw the reluctance building in her patient's face she quickly added, "It's nothing big. No blood has to be drawn. Just some basic physical tests and some questions."

Although he frowned, his silence indicated his agreement. He looked up when he saw Sasuke moving towards the door.

"Gonna make a phone call," the raven said then exited.

"Ok let's get started. You can call me Dr. Tsunade," the woman smiled.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

"So how is he?" the dangerous man asked as he cradled a glass of Scotch whisky.

Tsunade had just exited the room. She sat down and poured herself a glass. "I suspect it's just a case of a mild concussion. The vomiting and passing out are classic symptoms. Don't worry he's not gonna drop dead unexpectedly. Well, once he doesn't get another heavy hit to his head anytime soon he's safe. He burst open his gum on the side of this teeth so of course there will be some blood. That injury is not bad enough to need stitches but it's gonna pain like a bitch when the meds wear off. So you would have to keep giving him the oral analgesic I gave you every five to six hours. You did a real number on him. I would hate to see what you would actually do to an enemy of yours."

Somehow, it irritated him when she said that. It was a mistake.

She continued. "I would like to give him a full medical check up but I don't think he is too fond of doctors so keep an eye on him for the next few days. The worse of the swelling already happened so now it will only turn a nasty shade of black or blue. Totally normal. It means that the injury is healing. Though I don't think he would like to be in public looking like that. Did you contact Hatake?"

Sasuke shifted on his seat while staring at his hand, indicating that he had.

Tsuanade burst out in laughter. "I imagine that conversation did not end too well. Did he yell at you?"

The younger person continued his silent reverie.

"Don't try to ignore me. You don't have to tell me because I know how he would have reacted to you giving his cute secretary a concussion. You should really fix your way of dealing with normal people. It can't always be hit first ask questions later. You may be able to get away with it but it can't be good for building relationships outside of your job."

"Shut your pie hole, old hag," Sasuke snapped, his irritation winning over his calm facade. "You talk too much."

"Yeah but there are not many people around to tell you what you need to hear." Tsunade quickly gulped down the rest of her alcohol then got up. She and his foster dad had been friends from before he had taken Sasuke in. She was another one of the few people he respected. But damn, she was long-winded. "Call me if anything happens."

She left with a cheerful 'ciao'.

He continued cradling his drink, taking little sips now and again. It had been a long night and all he wanted to do was have sex then fall asleep. However, a blonde man in his bed was making it difficult to do whatever he wanted to do. He thought back to when he had come out from his bath only to see his bed empty. Annoyance was the feeling he felt most. There were very few people who actually dared to disobey his orders. To think a dope he met only a day ago would be among the few. Upon finding the blond enigma in the guest bathroom, he was mildly surprised to feel a small pang of worry about his pale complexion as he retched over the toilet. Swiftly he dialed Tsunade's number only to be relieved that she had already arrived. He ordered the maid to go bring her here. While she was gone, he was at a loss for what he should do. He considered patting his back but he didn't think that would help the situation. So he just stood there.

When the doctor finally reached, she immediately began rubbing comforting circles on his back and gently telling him that things were alright. When it seemed that the episode was over she began asking questions about how he was feeling. Was there any pain anywhere? Did he still feel nauseous? But the blonde man just stared around as if confused of his surroundings. His eyes were unfocused and glazed. He did look as if he was in severe pain as he crunched his eyes shut and laid his head on the floor. He then stopped moving.

The maid became hysterical and Sasuke snapped at her to leave. Tsunade assured him that he had only passed out. She asked him to fill a bucket of warm water so that she could clean him up. Together, they undressed him, wiped down his body and put a robe on him. Sasuke was too focused on his task to appreciate the actual sight of the naked man. When they were done, he picked him up and carried him to his bed room where Tsunade treated him.

Sasuke uncharacteristically released a sigh. He had unintentionally created more work for himself to do. A few hours of sleep were required if he was to function at full capacity tomorrow. He finished his drink and placed the glass in the sink. Reluctantly, the yakuza went to check up on Naruto. The dobe was still awake, staring at the ceiling when he entered.

"Need anything?"

Naruto glanced at him them back at the ceiling. "My phone would be nice. My boss, co-workers and friends must all think I'm alive and kicking after the stunt you pulled at the office," he said sarcastically.

"I would ask the maid to bring it for you. Hatake said you could have the rest of the week off," Sasuke's deep voice said monotonously.

"Hmm, ok. But I will still have to call him."

Sasuke shrugged.

Naruto frowned. "When can I go home?"

The dark man looked at him as if he asked a foolish question. "When you have recovered."

"Fuck! I can't do this! I can't spend a few days with someone who only speaks an average of thirty words a day and has the emotional capacity of a cactus plant. I feel as if I'm going nuts." Naruto grabbed his hair and pulled.

"That makes two of us, blondie-with-an-I.Q.-less-than-an-ant."

Said blondie sat with his mouth gaping like a fish in shock. It didn't help to improve the yakuza's opinion of him. "I will have you know that I'm very smart."

"Your words alone are not gonna prove anything. Even a parrot could say that," Sasuke droned as he collected his sleeping wear, secretly enjoying the dobe's red face as he got angrier.

"I-I don't have to prove myself to someone like you. You're the reason I'm stuck like this for the rest of the week."

"As such, I'm taking responsibility for it. Now if that is all I'm going to bed. I will have the maid's shift extended to twenty-four hours so that she could accommodate you. Should your current meds fade and the pain returns, ring the bell on the night stand and the maid will bring your painkillers. If you need to use the bathroom, ring the bell too. I would be... displeased should you get further injured in my care. If it's embarrassing to get help from the maid, you could always have her wake me up." Sasuke actually gazed lecherously at him then left.

The expression was so brief that Naruto decided that he was probably seeing things. This was the yakuza who knocked him out easily with little provocation. There was no way he could be interested in men much less him. He only grew up surrounded by people who were straight so he didn't know any better.


	5. Troublesome

**Chapter Four**

Kyoto in the early morning was a beautiful sight to behold. Naruto leaned against the mahogany desk in the room and gazed out of the window. A silver mist hung over the site, like a crown adorning glass, wooden and brick buildings as far as the eye could see. There wasn't any reason for him to come to this city but if he looked at his situation, probably he was blessed to be able to get a free trip to the city many deemed as refined and filled with many classical Buddhist temples, gardens, imperial palaces, Shinto shrines and traditional wooden houses. A fulfilling historical experience if he had the chance to tour the city before he left. He continued to gaze at the sky as it transformed mystically from grey and blue to an array of red, orange and pink as the sun broke through the horizon in the distance. This was the first time he had actually sat and watched a sun rise. He beat down the instinct of hurrying to get ready for work since there was no way he could with the horrible way his face looked. Spending more time staring at the sun, he realized he could no longer ignore the throbbing pain in his face.

Sighing he got up and walked to the bed side to ring the small bell there. This could have been so much easier if the raven had left the medication for him. However, he was beginning to realize that the man just might be a tad of a control freak. By no means did he want to piss him off but he felt as if he was slowly losing the right to act however he pleased. His small act of defiance had been earlier when he just woke up with a massive urge to pee. He contemplated calling the maid or Sasuke as per instructions but then he felt completely silly. A grown man needing someone to hold his hand to pee? Nawww, that was just wrong. So he sneaked into the man's personal bathroom and did his business. Never mind that he did look around frantically every time he heard the tiniest of noise or he used bleach to thoroughly clean the area he used, he felt a deep sense of self-satisfaction towards himself. No man had any control over him!

The door to the room opened and the maid walked in.

"Here, Mr. Uzumaki." She smiled and handed him a glass of water along with two orange pills.

"Thank you Mira and please call me Naruto," he responded pleasantly but did not try to smile. Just as he was about to take the pills, the maid stopped him.

"Please have something to eat first," she hurriedly left the room then carted in a tray filled with a wide array of food.

Naruto's eyes widened as he stared at the eggs, sausages, pancakes, French toast, fruits, salmon and much more present. Suddenly, a loud growl sounded from his stomach. He had forgotten that he had not eaten in almost two days. His mouth watered. Again, the maid interrupted him when he was about to stuff his face with some premium-looking bacon. Irritation filled him.

"What?" he asked hoggishly.

"Sir, I suggest you start with something light, like the creamy, potato soup on the right corner of the tray," the maid said politely.

The blonde instantly felt bad for using the hostile tone to spoke to her. "Heh, sorry about before. And thanks." Not being able to talk anymore, he quickly picked up the bowl with the soup and began to sip the broth. The insides of his mouth stung like a bitch but he ignored it as he just could not get enough of the flavours. It was so delicious that it almost hurt to go down his throat. When he finished, he burped with pleasure.

The maid smiled broadly as she handed him back the medication. "Now you can take these."

After taking them and eating as much food as he could, he laid back on the bed and rubbed his bloated stomach. It was like meeting Sasuke had opened up a whole new world of firsts for him. He never had a breakfast as big and varied as before. He wasn't sure if it was because he didn't have the time or something like that might just be too expensive. He glanced back at the window and noted that he was about seven in the morning.

"What day is it today?" Naruto asked lazily.

"It's Thurday," Mira replied. "Are you finished with the food?"

"Hmm, I don't know as yet." Naruto eyed the remaining dishes, contemplating how much he could stuff down his throat before he exploded.

For the second time in the morning, the door opened. In walked Sasuke, looking ruffled and grumpy. It was a sexy look that Naruto was ashamed to admit he could never pull off. His dark hair was all over the place but it looked stylish instead of scruffy. His slacks rode low on his hips as he sauntered towards the bathroom. He had no shirt on and he was barefooted. Naruto found it difficult to pull his eyes away from the other man. He stared at his well-defined biceps, he shifted his eyes to his adam's apple on his neck. His mouth started watering again for an entirely different reason. When his gaze dropped to the other's chest, he immediately looked away because he feared that whatever this new feeling that he was experiencing, he would not be able to ignore it if he continued. Dangerous vibes emanated from the raven-haired man. He clearly wanted to be left alone. He entered the bathroom and slammed the door shut ignoring the other occupants in the room.

That was more than okay with Naruto. It allowed him to calm his strangely quickened heartbeat and nerves. He let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. When he realized that he had forgotten about Mira, he turned and told her that he was full and she could take the tray away with an awkward laugh. Left all alone to his thoughts, he decided to not even touch what he had experienced just a few minutes ago. In fact, all he wanted to do was hide under a table for the rest of the day. When he heard the shower stop in the other room, all his thoughts came to a screeching halt. The man was done. Somehow, the blonde did not think that he was the modest type. He scrambled out of bed in a panic to leave the room, forgetting that he still had an IV in his arm. The needle was ripped viciously out of his arm and created a slightly deep laceration along the upper part of his forearm.

"Fuck!" Naruto whispered harshly more towards his stupidity than the pain. He still managed to scramble out of the room towards the guest bathroom before Sasuke could exit the bathroom. In the safety of the bathroom, he locked the door and began cursing up a storm. He kept his grip tightly over the bleeding wound as he used his injured arm to look in the medicine cabinet for a first aid kit. Luckily, there was one and he pulled it out, searching it for some gauze, anti-bacterial wipes, Steristrips and a big bandaid. Finding them, he looked around for a small towel so he could apply pressure to the wound. Thankfully, he found a navy blue towel and pressed it over the laceration. He looked around and could only laugh at his foolishness. He had made the white bathroom look slightly like a scene from a horror movie. There were drops of blood on the floor, blood on the white cabinet, blood on the shower curtains, blood created a small trail along the right side of his robe. Shit, he might just have to throw the robe away. How was he gonna cover up this mess he made? He sighed. One thing at a time. Slowly, he pulled the towel away to assess the damage. He almost threw up when he saw blood immediately begin to bubble up from it. Man, he might have just damaged the vein the IV was in. He wasn't an expert but he was certain he would not be able to deal with this on his own. No, he had to. Sasuke would have his head if he found out what he did. Applying more pressure to the wound, he searched for a cloth to wipe up the mess with.

Suddenly, he door rattled. Naruto froze, hoping to God that it was only his imagination. The door rattled again with more force.

"Open the door," it was unmistakably Sasuke's voice. And his tone was so cold it sent ice down his veins.

"Uh, just a sec, in the shower," Naruto lied through his teeth as he hurriedly took off his robe to try to wipe the tiles on the floor and the curtains surrounding the tube. Shit, he needed bleach or something because all he was doing was smearing the ground with his blood. In fact, everything just looked worse. Desperately, he opened the glass door to the shower as quietly as he could and started the shower. Adrenaline dulled the pain in his arm as he squeezed the robe under the shower and went back to cleaning at least the floor.

"I will only ask this one more time. Open the door," Sasuke simply said.

Fear settled in the pits of his stomach as he reasonably cleaned the floor up and shoved the robe into the corner of the bathroom. He dashed under the shower to wet himself then grabbed a towel and held it in front of his chest hoping to hide his right hand too.

He opened the door.

Sasuke stared down at him, almost identically to when they first met. But this time, Naruto knew he fucked up. He made a mess in the yakuza's house and it was all his fault. He stepped back as the dark man ran his eyes over the room, viewing his pathetic attempt to hide the object of his guilt. Naruto, for the first time in almost six years, felt as though he was a kid again. He looked down when he felt Sasuke's heavy gaze settle on him again.

The latter clenched his jaw in anger when he saw blood begin to soak the towel the blonde was holding in front of him. It was exhausting being around this man. He ripped the towel out of the blonde's hand and viewed the damage. He quickly wrapped the same towel around Naruto's injured arm and pressed tightly. He pulled him out of the bathroom, caring little for other man's undressed state.

"Mira, call Tsunade and tell her to come immediately. Inform her of what's happened," Sasuke raised his voice slightly.

"Yes, sir." The maid left to follow orders.

Sasuke roughly dumped Naruto on his bed while still keeping a firm hold over the wound. The blonde realized that there was also blood on the bed. Of course the man would come looking for him. He stayed silent as the other commanded him to hold the towel in place of him. Sasuke went to look for his own first aid kit. He opened it but pulled nothing out of it because he needed to stop the bleeding first. Sighing, he undid the tie around his neck and tightly wrapped Naruto's upper arm.

"I might need to make a tourniquet," he murmured. Dark eyes finally met cerulean. "Are you dizzy?"

"No," Naruto replied sombrely.

"What the fuck were you thinking?" he asked lowly.

"I wasn't, sorry." Naruto cast his eyes downwards. He really felt bad about all this. Sasuke was already taking care of him because of the knock out he received from him. Now he was only creating more trouble. He couldn't even muster up the same anger he felt for being brutalized by the man in front of him.

"Damn right you weren't. I'm this close to fucking beating your ass," Sasuke whispered dangerously as he shoved his thumb and index finger in close proximity in the blonde's face.

Sasuke had just did one of the few things that set the blonde off. His blue eyes, turning a dark cobalt, sharply looked up before head butting the male in front of him.

"Don't fucking put your hands in my face," Naruto's voice rumbled at the back of his throat.

All rational thoughts flew from the raven's mind as he lunged at the blonde, knocking him flat to the bed. He delivered a punch to his stomach then wrapped his fingers around his neck. The blonde glared darkly at the other digging his nails into the other's arms. Naruto spat into the dark eyes above him. Surprised, Sasuke let go of the other who used the opportunity to kick Sasuke off the bed. The bigger male landed on the floor, hurting his left arm as he braced himself. Naruto like a wild animal jumped on top of him and managed to land a punch to his left cheek before Sasuke elbowed him in his gut again and rocked back, using the momentum to throw the blonde forward on his face. Naruto grunted in pain but wasted no time to slam his knee unto Sasuke's face. Unfortunately, the dark man rolled agilely away then used his weight to pin the smaller man under him, twisting the man's left arm behind him. He fully intended to dislocate the blonde's shoulder.

"What the fuck is going on?!" Tsunade shouted as she ran into the bedroom.

Sasuke ignored her as he continued to pull at the blonde's arm. Naruto screamed and began scratching the other's face and any body part he could get his hands on.

"Fuck," Tsunade swore as she realized that the two were in a world of their own. She pulled out a strong sedative in a syringe and expertly administered the drug to Sasuke via his jugular vein. It took less than a minute for him to fall limply over the male blonde. She used a strength that betrayed her looks to roll the unconscious male over besides Naruto. The blonde jumped up ready to attack the unconscious man. Tsunade grabbed a firm hold on him trying to calm him down. The male cursed and struggled frantically all the while looking like a wild animal. Realizing that she could not calm the irrational man, she quickly administered the same sedative to him. When he fell unconscious, she immediately attended to the blood that was slowly leaking out of his right arm. Thank god the flow wasn't stronger otherwise he would have died from blood loss minutes ago. Damn, what was wrong with these two men?

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

Cerulean eyes slowly opened. He felt heavy and relaxed. Slowly, he turned his head to the side. It was night time once more. How did the day pass by so quickly? He closed his eyes and tried to remember what happened during the day. Everything just moved so sluggishly, his thoughts and his movements. Then, it came back to him! Their fight! He tried to sit up but he just couldn't.

"Ah, you're awake," a voice said. It took a while for him to connect it to the face he saw the previous night. It was Dr. Tsunade.

"What…?" he croaked.

"What you are experiencing is the after effects of the sedative I gave you," she said as she gazed at him with professional eyes.

"W-why?"

"Because Sasuke and you began fighting and nothing I said could have stopped you two so I made a professional decision to put you down before you both caused more harm to each other," she checked the bandage on his right arm. "You needed three stitches for this."

Naruto didn't really care. All he could think about was that he attacked a yakuza who was only taking care of him. Well he wasn't too concerned about the repercussions as he was about the man he attacked. He couldn't believe he tripped so easily when he vowed to not fight like that just a few days ago.

"Sasuke?"

Tsunade nodded as if he asked a yes or no question. "He woke up a few hours ago and left to take care of some business."

A terrible pang of guilt ran through him. He tried sitting up again.

"Whoa. Take it easy. You lost a bit of blood. I would have done a blood transfusion but I didn't want the same thing to happen again."

"Toilet…" he murmured ignoring what she said. Like a snail, he sat up and threw his legs over the side of the bed. He tried to stand and his legs buckled under him. Tsunade rushed to catch him before he fell.

"Geez, the both of you don't listen to my instructions. What's the point of me being the doctor?" Irritation laced her words but she still helped him towards the bathroom.

When he reach his destination, he told her he could do his business alone. She left after making him promise to call her if he needed help. Behind the closed door, he stumbled to the huge mirror over the sink to assess his damage. There was a small bruise over his forehead but it was overshadowed by the ugly back and blue bruise dominating the left side of his face. Shit, he was by no means a vain person but he definitely didn't think he could walk around public holding up his head proudly. He was surprised that Sasuke didn't add more coloured prizes to his face. His eyes travelled downward and he saw the makings of finger-like bruises around his neck. There were more around his left shoulder and arm as well as a big one forming on this stomach. He guessed he had to thank Tsunade for the pain killers because he really didn't feel much pain. He sat down on the edge of the huge tub and place his head in his hands. What was he doing? Instead of healing up, he was only getting more injured. It was all his fault. Maybe he should leave.

When he began feeling a little more human, he stepped into the state of the art shower, ensuring that his right hand did not get wet. He soaped himself up and shampooed his hair. Sasuke's products smelled wonderful and on the man himself it was quite exquisite. He sighed, it really was better for him to leave. He enjoyed his time here. It was he who ruined it all. Maybe at home he could get complete rest, not worrying about what he felt about the dark haired Adonis. He spent some extra minutes under the shower, enjoying the optimum pressure at which the water fell on him. It felt like a massage. Too bad he wouldn't have an opportunity to soak in the tube. Wrapping a towel around his hips he hopped out of the shower. He jumped in surprise when he spotted the same man in his thoughts leaning against the door, watching him with an unreadable expression.

They stood for a long moment just staring at each other. Sasuke was sporting a dark bruise on this left cheek and a split lip. There were also scratches running from his forehead, barely missing his right eye, to his cheek. He had pulled all his hair back so that they stood out more prominently on his face. There were also deep long scratches on his forearm which he also displayed like trophies by rolling his white shirt up to his elbows. He had the top few buttons on his shirt open and his pants dropped flawless around his hips. With his stupid Rolex watch as well as his Oxford dress shoes, he looked as dangerous and appealing as ever. Naruto felt frustrated. How the hell did he end up looking like a train wreck after the fight while Sasuke looked as if he stepped out as a badass sexy model? The world was very unfair.

"What is it?" Naruto was the first to break the deafening silence.

"Going somewhere?" Sasuke asked completely ignoring the question.

"I can't take a shower now?" he replied, folding his arms defensively.

The other didn't reply but continued to stare at him. It was beginning to get annoying. He felt his temper rising again. What was it about Sasuke that could always get him angry even if he didn't want to? He wanted to leave but he had a feeling that the suffocating feelings between them would only explode if he got any closer.

He took a deep breath and began to apologize.

"If you dare say you're sorry, I will make you swallow some of your teeth," Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

Naruto glared. "Ok… Do you want to continue the fight from before then?"

The dark man gazed to the side as if contemplating his answer. "No. Tsunade promised me that she would use more lethal force if we were to start another one. I'd rather stay on her good side."

"Then why are you standing in my way?"

"You never answered my previous question," Sasuke pushed away from the door and began walking towards him slowly. Almost like a predator stalking its prey. He suddenly felt self-conscious about his appearance.

Somehow, he knew that it would not be a good idea to express his thoughts from earlier so taking a few steps backward and hating himself for it, he responded, "The answer is no."

His back hit the glass door of the shower as Sasuke stepped into his personal space. Looking at Sasuke's face more closely, he noticed a red bruise on his forehead almost identical to his. The man's piercing opal eyes stared down at him for longer than he would have liked. A heat arose between then that had nothing to do with anger or embarrassment. When Naruto looked into the other's eyes, he knew that in one form or another, there will be payback.

"Good," he whispered sinfully before leaving.

The blonde shuddered involuntarily and his legs could no longer support him. As he shakily sat on the bathroom floor he thought, 'What have I done?'


	6. Mission: Get Laid

**Chapter Five**

Friday morning met Naruto staring blankly at the ceiling weighing his limited options with regard to the irresistible male who was sleeping a mere few doors away from him. He was having serious doubts about his sexuality and having no one to talk to just drove him a little closer to the edge of insanity. All his life he had dated girls. In fact, it had only been two years since he broke up with his long term girlfriend, Sakura. He still remembered how infatuated he was with her radiant smile, her soft, luscious rose hair and her twinkling emerald eyes which he swore was unique only to her. Her body was also most appealing. She only needed to flash a boob and he would be ready for a lengthy night of hot steamy sex. Therefore, he didn't quite understand the drastic change in his libido's preferences. Maybe what he desperately needed was to get laid. After that, all his ogling and weird reactions towards the yakuza male should disappear. Yes! That was his game plan.

Feeling rejuvenated with renewed hope, he climbed out of bed in search of his phone. Being out of it for the past few days, he was certain that some people were getting worried about his well-being. Thankfully, he found his phone on the left nightstand. His briefcase was on the floor, leaning against the same furniture. As he expected, the Samsung S5 was dead. Grabbing the charger out of his briefcase and connecting it to an electrical port near the desk of the room, he immediately started up his phone. The device flashed, indicating several missed calls and text messages from his tight group of friends. He temporarily ignored it, prioritising the call to his boss.

Kakashi Hatake picked up after the third ring, "Well look who is calling. How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling a lot better. I want to apologize for the inconveni-"

"Please!" the gray-haired man cut him off. "The incident that happened wasn't your fault. I would have been a devil to force you to work with your injury. It was partly my fault too so it was only right that I took responsibility and gave you some time off. However, I'm a little at a loss for words concerning Sasuke and your fight yesterday."

"Uhh," Naruto paused awkwardly, trying to think of a reasonable excuse for his actions. When he found none he humbly responded with, "I instigated the fight. I would like to apologize for my rude behaviour since you asked Sasuke to look after me."

"You should not be apologizing to me," Kakashi chuckled lightly.

"I also wanted to apologize to Sasuke but he did not want to hear it."

"Typical of him. Let bygones be bygones; try to move past it. I don't want to hear that you guys fought again alright? Please try to control your temper. I already spoke to Sasuke so I'm telling you now."

"Yes, sir."

"Would you need some more time to recover?"

"No, sir. I will be at work bright and early on Monday morning. Don't think I will let you cancel the meetings on Monday because you can't control yourself on Sunday nights."

"Damn and I thought I could get away with it next week," his boss responded playfully.

"Maybe you could spend your night doing something normal like watching a movie or reading a book. You might find it very appealing."

"I'm not that old yet," Kakashi said with scorn.

"Whatever you want, boss. See you next week," he held back a laugh as he ended the call.

Sometimes he really worried about his boss' health. It couldn't be healthy drinking like a fish every week.

Shaking his head, he proceeded to read the messages from his friends. At first they were the usual 'hey, how are you going?' texts but when they received no reply they steadily became more hysterical.

Kiba, one of his closer male friends, had sent, 'Man, why are you not replying? You dead?'

Ino, a fellow blonde girl, who was Sakura's best friend sent several texts that sounded so ridiculous it almost had him in tears. It went like this"

'Hey, what's up? My pet goldfish died yesterday. We're planning a funeral for him. I hope you will be able to come.'

'Naruto will you be able to come?'

'Hey, why wouldn't you reply? I don't care if the answer is no, it's rude to ignore someone.'

'Naruto Uzumaki, if you do not reply in 5 minutes, I will call you!'

Naruto noted that he had 10 missed calls from Ino.

'Naruto please respond! I'm worried that something happened to you. Even if it is only a text with a dot in it.'

The blonde man started to feel bad for laughing. The girl sounded genuinely worried.

'If you don't contact us by tomorrow, we are gonna file a missing person's report. I'm serious.'- This was sent on Wednesday.

His best friend sent him a message. 'Naruto, I don't know what's up but Ino is very worried and is threatening to contact the police. Please message me as soon as you're able. In the meantime, I will try to keep her off any phone- Shika.'

"Shit," Naruto swore under his breath as he speed-dialled Shikamaru. His friends were such worrywarts. The blonde knew he was in trouble when his lazy bestie picked up on the first ring.

"Uzumaki, where the hell have you been?"

"Sorry, Shika! Something happened and my phone's battery died so I couldn't contact you guys."

"What about your home phone? You haven't been home? You never said anything about going on a business trip." This was the first time in a while that Shikamaru was using full sentences and firing questions so rapidly.

"No I haven't been home," Naruto said biting his lip trying to think up an excuse for his lack of communication. He couldn't very well tell him what happened. The guys worried more than enough because he was the only person not living in Tokyo with them.

"Why?" the genius asked slowly, already noticing Naruto stalling for time to make up an excuse. "Uzumaki, you better not tell me any lies. Do you know how troublesome it was to stop Ino from going to the police station to file a report? She even had Hinata and Kiba panicking and calling your phones every two hours. Neji and Shino had to come in to calm the situation.

"Shit, Shika, I'm really sorry." He pleaded then glanced upwards when the current bane of his existence entered the room. He sucked in a sudden breath.

"What's wrong?"

Naruto turned his back to the door and Sasuke and looked out the window. He needed a clear mind to lie to Shikamaru convincingly enough for him to leave the situation be. "Nothing. It's nothing. What happened was that I had a little incident at the office and I was injured a bit. So I had to take a small leave of absence to see a doctor. During then and now, I forgot about my phone because so much was going on."

Shikamaru was silent for a bit. He knew Naruto was uttering bullshit or at least not the entire truth but he refrained from outright calling him out on it. "What little incident would send a person to the doctor for three days?"

"Uh, um I stabbed myself with a pen… by accident," Naruto cringed at his own lie. It didn't help when he heard a soft rumbling chuckle from behind him. Glancing back, he spotted Sasuke casually leaning against the wall listening to his conversation. Instantly, he felt irritated. He was wearing his usual black slacks only, looking stunning and domesticated with his messy hair. Naruto levelled a scathing glare at the other.

"Naruto, would you like to try again?" Shikamaru asked quietly, hints of anger on the edges of his voice.

"Shika, please don't get angry! I can't tell you exactly what happened but I'm alright now." The blonde pleaded.

For a long moment, Shika remained silent. Eventually, he gave a heavy sigh then replied with, "Fine. At least tell me where you are."

"In Kyoto."

"I don't think you know anyone in Kyoto," Naruto could tell his best friend was frowning.

"Uh, no I don't," he hurriedly continued before Shikamaru could get upset again. "But the person I'm staying with is an acquaintance of my boss."

"What is his/her name?" Shikamaru asked.

"Um, I don't think I could tell you it," Naruto glanced nervously at the same man.

"So help me God! Naruto please give me some kind of information before I get on a plane and drag you back to Tokyo, your job be damned," the caller shouted.

"Shika, I'm leaving by today so you don't have to worry so much. I'm calling to tell you I'm fine." The blonde stressed. Movement in his periphery view, showed that Sasuke, already bored with the conversation, had proceeded to his bathroom.

Shikamaru hummed in response all the while pulling out his laptop and tracking Naruto's cell phone signal to his exact location.

"Shika?" the blue-eyed male questioned when the silence ran longer than he was comfortable with.

"Yeah ok, I understand. You are leaving today?"

"Yeah."

"Ok, keep your phone on from now on at all times. I don't want something like this happening again."

"Yeah sure, man. Thanks for understanding. What about the other guys, they ok?"

"Yeah they will be when I tell them I spoke to you."

"Ok, I'm really sorry for making you worry so much."

"You probably can't help it with your low I.Q and all."

Naruto frowned. "I probably deserved that."

"Yes you did."

"Sorry, Shika." Naruto sounded genuinely apologetic.

"Nah, man. Just try to keep in contact with us if you plan on spending a few days away from home. Oh, send me a pic so that I could show the others that you're alive and well."

"Ok, no problem. I'll send it to you as soon as I hang up," Naruto said cheerfully.

"Be safe, Naruto."

"You too. Love you, bro." He hung up and let a long breath of air out.

He walked towards the bed then flopped down in it. He felt so exhausted and the day hadn't even begun yet. Lifting his phone, clicked his camera app to take a selfie then got a rude awakening when he saw the nasty bruise on his face. It wasn't that painful anymore so he had almost forgotten about it. Damn, he sat up and grabbed his briefcase. He still had that concealer he bought on Tuesday. How lucky was he. When the sale's person had applied it for him, she had used some sort of sponge but he didn't have that. Naruto shrugged, using fingers couldn't be that different from what she did. He used his index finger to catch the product as he turned it upside down. When he deemed that enough was out, he began smearing it on the left side of his face. He supposed he needed a mirror to ensure that all the black marks were covered. He threw his phone unto the bed, grabbed the concealer and headed towards the guest bathroom.

It was a really odd arrangement of accommodations. If anything, Naruto should have been in the guest room. However, Sasuke never requested he change rooms or anything. Basically, it felt as though he had access to every room. He glanced at the massive luxurious living room on his way to the guest bathroom. It was the only room in the apartment which didn't have any white, black (or any shade in between) nor navy blue. Instead, it had a gold and red colour scheme, giving the room an air of richness and uniqueness. A large 110 inch flat screen smart HDTV stood prominently among the expensive looking entertainment collection of a stereo set, some type of cable router box, a Wii U, Xbox and PlayStation 4. In glass cases next to the TV stand were hundreds of discs which he could only guess were maybe DVDs, CDs or games. Somehow, Naruto could not imagine Sasuke sitting down and playing games or watching TV for the afternoon like a normal person. But damn, didn't it mean that all this was just for decoration? A distaste built up within Naruto as he wondered if the yakuza made his monthly salary in a day.

Life was not fair indeed. Shaking his head to rid himself of his useless thoughts he continued to the bathroom. Suddenly, Mira exited a room, bumping into him. The maid gave a startled cry when she looked at him. Naruto grabbed unto her arms in case she lost her balance and fell to the ground.

"Well good morning to you, Mira."

"Good morning, Naruto-san," she replied looking anywhere put at his face.

"No need to be so obvious. Does it look that bad?" Naruto winced when she nodded. "Hey come on, help me. You're the only girl in the house. I need to take a picture for my friends to show them that I am alive but I can't do it with the bruises."

The girl giggled lightly. "What did you use?"

Naruto held up the tube of concealer. Mira nodded, turned and entered another room. In less than a minute she returned with a small pouch in her hand. She tilted her head as if to say, 'Follow me'. And follow Naruto did. In the guest bathroom, Mira took out a white wedge-looking sponge thingie and began passing it along his face.

As she worked, she absentminded told him, "The secret to successful make-up is blending."

After a few minutes, she was done. Naruto looked in the mirror and was surprised to see his normal appearance. The swelling had all gone down, leaving only the discoloration which the make-up hid perfectly. The blonde threw a boyish grin at the maid before, placing a playful kiss on her cheek.

"You're a life saver!" he ran out the door to go take the picture. "Might need you again after I take a bath this morning!" He shouted behind him.

In Sasuke's room once more, he took his usual selfie with a teasing grin and a peace sign. After he sent it, he sat down on the bed contemplating his next move. The endgame for today was to get laid. He could leave when Sasuke left to go to work but he figured the latter wouldn't be too pleased about it. It would only create more friction in their already tumultuous relationship. Hmm, maybe he could use this opportunity to leave seeing that it was the end of the week and all. The silence in the master bathroom indicated that Sasuke was finished with his bath and was in some other part of his house. Shrugging, he took off his robe and walked into the shower. He thoroughly cleaned himself, careful of his right arm. He wrapped a white fluffy towel around his hips and grabbed a hand towel to dry his hair. Following the act of brushing his teeth with the toothbrush he received a day prior to yesterday, he called Mira to ask her to bring him his clothes.

As she set the suit neatly upon the already made bed, she asked a little nervously, "Are you going somewhere, sir?"

"I'm gonna do a little shopping. I'm tired of walking around half naked all the time. Besides this is the last day I'm spending with you guys. Gonna get a little touring done and buy some souvenirs," Naruto said, high-spiritedly.

He grabbed his clean briefs and undergarments and re-entered the bathroom to put them on. With a sigh, he began working to shave the stubble around his chin with a razor. He put on some deodorant and splashed some aftershave unto his face (believe it or not, he did walk around with his deodorant and aftershave). Speedily, he put on his shirt and pants, tucking in the former into his pants neatly and ensuring the collar was turned under precisely. Already, he was beginning to feel a semblance of normalcy. The past few days in under 24 hours would just feel like a transient dream. He called Mira and asked her to reapply the make-up to his face. This time she took a little longer and added a few of her own products into the mix. She said it was to ensure that it lasted for a lengthier period. Naruto had forgone the tie, leaving the top three of his shirt button open. Putting on this dress shoes (they may not have been brand-named but it went perfectly with his black suit), he looked it the mirror and he tried to get his messy hair into some kind of order. He didn't have any hair gel and he didn't feel like asking the bastard for any. So he settled for running his fingers through his hair, hoping he could pull off a naturally tousled look. All he needed now was to tell his highness then leave.

The maid led him through the living room and kitchen to a door he had not seen before. She knocked twice and waited for the low mumble of "Come in."

Mira glanced at him fleetingly before entering and explaining that Naruto wanted to speak with him. With a flicker of his hand, he dismissed her and dropped his full attention unto the blonde standing in the doorway. Naruto caught himself swallowing saliva that had pooled into his mouth at the sight of Sasuke, behind a desk, slowly pulling a pair of glasses away from his face. It was obviously Sasuke's study room. But that was just a wayward thought as all his attention was focused on the handsome dark man in front of him. Greedily, he drank in the man's appearance, his dark hair, pulled back again to show his battle scars; his strong cheek bones, heavy long lashes sweeping the top of them as he blinked; thin pale lips stretched into a scowl. Shit he wanted to claim them. The blonde blinked slowly too startled by his thoughts to initiate the conversation.

"I see you're dressed up. Going somewhere?" the raven-haired man's exotic voice spoke softly, without betraying his thoughts.

It was harder that he thought to get his thoughts together to string a sensible sentence together as a reply. "Just thought I would get some touring done before I left Kyoto this evening." Naruto mentally patted himself on the back for not stuttering.

"Oh?" Sasuke said as he ran dull eyes down Naruto's body. This time Naruto felt the need to squirm under his suffocating gaze.

"Y-yes," the cerulean-eyed male felt ashamed that there was another man on earth who could intimidate him more so than his foster father.

Sasuke's lips twitched in amusement before he replaced his glasses on the bridge of his nose, returning to his work.

At a loss for words, he decided it was probably not a good idea to press the subject. Maybe, this was indeed a bad idea and he should have just left without telling the other anything. The yakuza male may have been pissed but he would have been safely on a train or bus to Sakai by then. Naruto turned to leave, thinking that Sasuke had begun to ignore his presence. A glass object suddenly flew pass him and shattered on the doorframe, narrowly missing his head.

"What the fuck?!" the blonde exclaimed.

"Who told you that you could leave?" Sasuke spoke lowly, the tone spoke volumes of the violence waiting to be unleashed should the occupant answer with anything he did not want to hear.

Naruto didn't know whether to be afraid or pissed. He stood on the spot glaring at the other as he returned to his paper work. The air condition unit hummed loudly, filling the silence in the room. A few minutes slowly ticked by and just when Naruto thought he would brave the possibility of another flying object to the head in order to leave, Sasuke put down his pen and stood.

Naruto stiffened as Sasuke lazily sauntered towards him, hands shoved in his pockets. He did not want to fight again but his body tensed up prepared for any form of retaliate. His mind quickly flashed back to the events of last night in the bathroom. He stopped in front of him and stood mutely for a minute.

"A tour, huh?"

Naruto glared at the ground, angry because of the slight tremor in his legs. Sasuke grabbed his chin harshly, pulling his face up to meet his eyes.

"Answer."

"Yes," Naruto bit out, anger winning over his conflicting emotions. How dare he manhandled him like that? He tugged his face out of Sasuke's grip. "As far as I can see, I'm not a prisoner here and you fulfilled your duty in taking care of my injury. So, it is time for me to leave. I have work early Monday morning so I would like to go home and re-accustom myself with reality… my reality. Can't say it was the most pleasant experience I had but you have my gratitude." He brushed invisible lines off his shirt and turned to leave.

Sasuke gripped his right arm tightly, holding him in place. "This is the second time you turned away when I was not done speaking. Do not test me a third time."

Naruto winced at the pain but hid it by stepping into the other's personal space and whispering harshly, "What would you do? Beat me down? I know for a fact you can't unless you want to get on Hatake and Dr. Tsunade's bad side. And trust me, I would love to fucking say that this time, you started the altercation." He roughly shook off Sasuke's hand then briskly walked out of the office.

Sasuke stared at the empty space in front of him. It took a while for him to reign in his emotions. He was already having a hard time getting information on the new organization that had attacked them. The stress of it was taking its toll and the blonde's presence was not helping. The latter did all the things that pissed him off. He didn't even want to think back on the time when he met Jurou yesterday and had to make up some elaborate excuse as to why he was injured. Yet, he couldn't say that irritation was the only thing he felt for the other male. Thinking back to Naruto's fierce appearance and appealing form in his office attire, he smirked sinisterly. No, he also felt amusement because there was finally someone who would brazenly oppose him while still stroking the flames of lust. With a hum of silent delight, he looked at the scratches on his arm as he decided he will take it upon himself to tame the wild kitten in his possession.

With an imaginary pep to his step, Sasuke strolled to his bedroom to find Naruto shrugging on his suit jacket while speaking to the maid. Not giving the blonde any time to think nor react, he grabbed the blonde by his left arm and flung him unto the bed. With blue eyes wide in surprise, he began shouting expletives and struggling against Sasuke as he climbed on top of him to pin him down. The raven picked up the tie that was on the bed and expertly as well as easily fastened Naruto's hands together and to the bedhead despite the younger man's efforts to resist. The latter continued to scream and struggle beneath the yakuza, turning red in the face. He bucked his hips, trying to throw the other off. All the while, Sasuke just calmly observed him as if he were a zoo animal.

"You fucking son of a bitch, when I get out of this, I will kill you!" Naruto screamed in pure rage, tugging harshly at his bindings.

"Hmm you can't say I didn't warn you," Sasuke droned still staring at his face as if he were an experiment.

Naruto hawked up as much saliva as he could and spat it in his face. He couldn't head butt him or kick him in retaliation so this would suffice.

The yakuza was silent for a moment, then he simply passed his hand over his face and wiped the saliva on Naruto's jacket. "I guess you are allowed at least that." He climbed over Naruto and off the bed, careful of his kicking legs.

"Do not disturb him until I tell you to. Allow him to calm down," Sasuke instructed the maid absently as he walked out of the room, straightening his cuffs and collar. "Oh, Naruto, please stop with the leg action because then I will be forced to restrain them too."

"Fuck you!" Naruto growled aggressively.

"Hn." Sasuke closed the door behind him as he left.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

Two hours had passed since Sasuke had tied him to the bed. He was so angry that he could not think straight. Being left to stew in his unstable emotions was the worst thing he ever experienced. After pulling and tugging for over an hour at the tie, he came to the conclusion that the bedhead would not break nor will the material rip. When he was too exhausted to struggle anymore, he began sniffling a bit. But that only added to his anger again. So he settled for shouting the worst curses he knew at the guy who tied him up. Even his parents in heaven would blush at some of the things he said. He wasn't even sure if Sasuke could hear him but he didn't care. Sometime after the fourth hour, he lost his voice.

How could this happen? He was just about to leave. Granted, he partly blamed himself for provoking him but the other had no right to confine him like this. Shit, Sasuke was so fucked up. This was clearly a violation of his human rights. When he got out of this, even if it killed him, he would seek some kind of legal retribution. Too tired to care anymore, he curled up in a ball and closed his eyes.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

The first thing he heard was papers flipping. It was close. He turned his head to the right and saw the devil himself sitting on the bed next to him reading a newspaper. Naruto lifted his foot and swiftly directed it to his face. It was caught with ease and held in a tight grip.

"This is the second time. The third time you try it again, I will make good on my threat," Sasuke murmured as he continued to read.

Naruto felt sick. Because despite the situation he was in, all he could think about was how awfully sexy the yakuza looked with his shirt wide open and the top of his pants unbuttoned. This was supposed to be the day when he got laid with a nice local girl in a local love hotel. That was his tour plan. He almost felt like crying.

The blonde opened his mouth to tell him a few things about his mother but nothing came out; only a horrible croak sounded. Sasuke looked up and observed him for a second before he turned to pour a glass of water from a pitcher on the nightstand. The man brought the glass to Naruto's lips. The latter thought of biting him. As if reading his mind, the man grabbed his jaw roughly and manually directed it to the glass. Naruto sipped the water, wincing as it burned going down his throat. When he had enough he pulled his head away, glaring at the man opposite him.

"Honestly, you exceeded my expectations. Didn't think that you would carry on so raucously for four hours straight. It seems I have my work cut out for me." The man placed the glass back in the nightstand while running his hand through his dark hair. There was a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Yeah you enjoy yourself while you can because the moment I get out of these bindings will be your last," Naruto croaked weakly, but made up for it by staring the male steadily in his eyes.

The man with obsidian eyes reached over to his side table again and pulled out a cigarette and lighter. When he lit the cancer stick, he took a deep pull, savouring the nicotine as it relaxed him. He continued smoking for a while looking out into the afternoon sun.

"Do you know what the most attractive feature on you is?" Sasuke asked offhandedly.

Naruto scrunched his face up in confusion. The question was too random so he didn't bother to deem it with a response.

Closing his eyes, Sasuke continued as if he didn't expect an answer from the dobe. "It's your eyes. Most of the time, only annoying nonsense come out of your mouth. However, your eyes are like an open book. So clear, easy to read. I could always tell what's on your mind." Sasuke put out the cigarette in the ash tray next to him.

Naruto felt his heart drop to his stomach. He didn't know where this was going but he knew he wasn't going to like it.

The monologue continued, "Naruto, what do you feel when you look at me?" Naruto stared widely at him, not trusting himself to speak. "Well you don't have to tell me. It's all reflected in your eyes. Did you think I wouldn't notice your stare every time I walk into the room? To be honest, it was almost endearing seeing you struggle to keep your emotions in check. But today I've decided, it's about time you gave up."

"You're talking too much. It's contradictory to your fucking character." Naruto spat, trying to hide the panic steadily rising. He tugged at the bindings again, trying to escape the yakuza as he shifted closer to him.

Sasuke reached out to touch his face.

"Don't touch me." Naruto glared fiercely, unable to shake the tight hold on his face.

The man stared into his eyes for a moment as if pleased with what he saw present. Giving a knee-weakening smirk, he breathed into his ear as he straddled him, "You're quite welcome to resist."

Then, he planted his lips upon the blonde's. Naruto stiffened himself up as if he were a corpse, tightly shutting his eyes and mouth. He felt Sasuke's lips working sensually over his, coxing a response. All he had to do was ignore it and the other will eventually stop. But the butterflies in the pits of his stomach were almost unbearable. He wanted, no, needed to know how this man tasted. How long had he looked at his lips and wondered what it would be like to claim them? He knew he shouldn't but he could not help himself. He was like an addict, reaching for a drug which he knew would send him right back into hell.

Taking in a deep breath, he latched onto the lips above him like a lifeline. He felt Sasuke smirk against his lips before beginning to sensually suck Naruto's bottom lip. The blonde gasped when he felt cool hands tug his shirt out of his pants and run along his stomach to his chest. With his mouth open, the raven took the opportunity to explore the wet orifice before him. Experimentally, Naruto met Sasuke's tongue. He tasted strongly of nicotine but beneath that the unique taste that was only Sasuke raised his temperature sky high. It was a taste he could get drunk off. He tugged at his binding wanting to explore the body above him with his hands. He settled for shifting his head to the side to get better access to the other's mouth. He tangled his tongue playfully with the dark haired man's slippery appendage, allowing the other to violate every part of his mouth. Opening his eyes, his blood pooled to his crotch when he met smouldering obsidian eyes which silently told him of the pleasures he could receive if he would just gave himself up to him on a silver platter. His blue eyes turned a dark azure in arousal and he pulled back, breathing heavily and savouring the taste of Sasuke in his mouth and on his lips. Wayward thoughts flew around in his head about the fact that he was French kissing a man. But it only served to unbearably turn him on even more. It wasn't just any man, it was the seductive, mysterious Sasuke who stroke his libido since appearing in his company's office a few days ago. A few strands of dark hair fell into his face and Naruto felt a strong urge to run his hands through his locks. He absentmindedly licked his lips trying to get rid of the stray saliva, raking his eyes over the undulating hard planes of Sasuke's chest. Panting, he almost pleaded for his captor to release him so he could also have a taste of the skin above him.

"Careful, I might just fuck you into the mattress right here and now whether you agree to it or not," Sasuke whispered sinfully into his ears before biting harshly on his lobe then taking it between his lips and sucking roughly. Things were getting hot and heavy for him too as the blonde unconsciously seduced him with his aroused unfocused gaze.

All the while, his eyes never left the younger man's. The blonde's eyes widened when he realized he felt as though he was on the verge of blowing his load. Sasuke hadn't even touched him directly as yet. Maintaining eye contact, he moved towards his captive's neck and began marking him. Before today, Naruto thought that that was the most useless act one could perform during sex. In his head, sucking someone's neck was kind of awkward and provided no type of pleasure. However, as Sasuke dragged his teeth slowly over the skin of his neck, sucking just below his adam's apple, Naruto felt intense pleasure. His stomach clenched and did weird flips. He shuddered when his felt his nipples twisted playfully. Shocked, he released a wonton moan. It didn't even sound like his voice. It was breathlessly throaty. The only things he really was aware of was how painfully hard he was and how much he wanted Sasuke's lips on his again. As if reading his mind, Sasuke advanced slowly back towards his lips, nipping playfully at it before seriously diving back into a heated lip lock. Naruto bit Sasuke lip but stopped before he could draw blood. They continued swapping saliva as if it were the most addicting thing in the world. If someone was to enter the room right then, it would look like they were both eating each other's faces. Then, Naruto felt it. He was on the edge of his orgasm. He didn't think he could be proud to call himself a man if he climaxed with such little stimulation.

Raspily he gasped out, as he pulled away, "Stop!"

Ignoring him, Sasuke returned to marking his neck. He was like a man on a mission, rotating between sucking, kissing, biting and lightly scraping his teeth against the heated flesh.

"Sasuke, stop!" Naruto moaned, not really sounding convincing.

Sasuke harshly twisted his nipples and that was it. Shuddering, he felt the rolling, overwhelming pleasure as he came. His fingers and toes curled tightly while his eyes squeezed shut. Naruto's mouth was opened in a silent cry, tears involuntarily escaped from his eyes. Just then the door opened, distracting Sasuke from the exquisite sight. This made him extremely peeved. Swiftly, he untied the material binding Naruto to the bed and threw the covers over him as he came down from his orgasm. He could hear him take in a shaky breath and watched his form twitch continuously under the sheets. Fuck. The maid better had a goddam good reason for making him miss such a sight.

He fixed a withering look on the woman while brazenly fixing his obvious erection under his pants. She was utterly surprised to find the two in such a compromising position since the two were constantly fighting since the day they met.

"What is it?" Sasuke drawled impatiently.

"Uh, sir. There is a phone call for you from the Chief."

Sasuke clicked his tongue and hurried out of the room. "Leave Naruto to his own devices," he snappily ordered over his shoulder.

"Yes, sir." Mira spared a worried glance over her shoulder before closing the door behind her.

All alone, Naruto released another trembling breath. He had to pinch himself several times to ensure that he wasn't in a dream. Did he really just orgasm from only foreplay? That was just crazy. Throwing off the sheets that were over him, he sat up slowly. He felt the unmistakable wetness in his briefs and suddenly felt very depressed. How could he have given in so easily? Just moments previously, he was planning the yakuza's death due to his outrageous confinement. However, all he felt now was tired and embarrassed of himself, his rage like threads of mist slipping through his fingers. He didn't want to face the raven any time soon. Rubbing his sore wrists he rolled off the bed and moved towards the bathroom. Shutting his mind down, he began filling up the enormously tiled tub/Jacuzzi. He inspected the shelf where he saw several bath salts lined up. The one which appealed to him the most had an exotic old spice scent that was rich and almost mouth-watering. He added it to the water. At a relaxed pace, he adjusted the temperature of the water to a medium hot and took off his clothes throwing it in front of the bathroom door, etiquette be damned. After putting his phone to charge, he quickly showered, again careful of the bandage on his right arm and washing off the makeup, then submerged himself in the tub. The heated water and delicious scent felt heavenly. He didn't have to think, just feel. Closing his eyes, he relaxed against the edge of the tube and let the time flow.

Uncertain of the time that passed, he lazily opened his eyes when he heard the door open. When he saw who it was, he quickly shut his eyes again, trying to ignore the other's presence. However, his mind sharply switched back on when he heard the rustling of clothes. He was painfully aware of Sasuke as he walked passed him in the tub and jumped into the shower. The fight to open his eyes and catch a glimpse of the raven in all his naked glory nearly toppled him over in agony. He almost lost his internal battle of will.

"Will you be leaving after this?"

Naruto hid his shudder at the sound of the appealing baritone which echoed in the bathroom by shifting to a new position. What was wrong with him? It was as if their session earlier had stripped him of his immunity to even the older man's non-intentional charms. He rested his head on the curve of his left arm propped up on the edge of the tub. Opening his eyes halfway, he stared into the water, thinking of his response. The urge to get control over his feelings greatly outweighed the perks of staying in this expensive penthouse where all his wants and needs were overly catered for. He didn't have to do anything. It felt as if he was on vacation but he was not the type to let himself be spoilt. He knew only too well how fleeting material things were.

"Yeah," he finally answered.

Quietude settled for a long minute between them. Sasuke continued to shampoo his hair. The blonde almost laughed at how intimate the moment felt when he knew that whatever they had between them was anything but normal.

"Okay, I will have one of my men drop you to your house."

With a tired sigh, Naruto responded, "Look, I'm tired of only quarrelling with you so let me make this clear. I'm perfectly capable of getting myself home. I need some time to myself."

Sasuke stepped out the shower and wrapped a towel around his hips. His face was set in a scowl. "Didn't you have enough time to yourself in the bathroom?"

"Really? I just said that I don't want to fight. I'm tired and I don't want to deal with you or anything connected to you." Sure, he sounded like a girl PMS-ing but he needed a lot of space and if he wasn't insistent, Sasuke will disregard everything he had to say and force his decision down his throat. They weren't in a relationship yet if felt suffocatingly similar. This terrified him.

Keeping his anger in check, Sasuke moved towards the sink and started to brush his teeth. Never before did someone refuse him. He had to remind himself that Naruto was not one of his men to order around. All he was tasked to do was take care of him until he healed enough to go off on his own again. And yet, he had an irrationally thought that he didn't want to let the man go. He felt a connection to him that he hadn't felt in years. Even if it was just lust, it was the closest thing he felt to having a slightly normal relationship with someone else in a while. Never mind the fact that the other man was an expert at pissing him off. He could deal with that. His eyes fell upon the blonde's lazily slouched form in the mirror. Blood ran southwards as he continued to stare at the wet younger man. His lips were swollen and his cerulean eyes were half-lidded, staring into the bubbling water. Focusing back to his task of brushing his teeth, he strictly commanded himself to calm down. Fine, he will let Naruto do whatever he wanted… for now. It wasn't as if he would completely lose his connection with him once he left. He was aware of where he worked. Mentally, Sasuke smirked as he knew he could get the blonde whenever he wanted.

"Hn, ok," was Sasuke's simple reply. He rinsed his mouth then walked out the bathroom.

Naruto blinked, surprised at how easily that went. He ran a hand through his hair and let out a mirthless chuckle. The black haired man was too much for him to handle. He soaked in hot tube for a few more minutes then he came out, scared that any longer may permanently damage his precious manhood. He emptied the tub.

Upon entering the bedroom, he saw his suit neatly pressed on the bed. His undergarments were also there. He recognized the fresh scent of detergent wafting up from the clothes. He felt a bit embarrassed when he realized that Mira had to have handled his dirtied briefs. Damn, he needed to bring a present to the maid if he ever got a chance to come back here. It was her job but still he felt pretty bad that she also had to cater to someone like him. Making a mental note of that, he put on his clothes. After checking his appearance in the mirror on the closet and ensuring that everything was in the right place, he went to pack what little he took out into his briefcase. He patted his pants to make sure his wallet and keys were there. They weren't. Just as he was about to call out for Mira, he spotted them on the small table next to the door. Shoving them in his pocket, he glanced one more time in the mirror. He ran his fingers through his unruly hair, pretending that it made some kind of difference. The bruise on his face was a little better but still prominent. He didn't want to go through the hassle of putting makeup on so he left it up to the dark night sky to hide the worst of it as he moved around in public.

With his phone and briefcase in hand, he ambled towards the entrance. He spotted Sasuke in the living room speaking on his phone. The yakuza's appearance was impeccable as usual. A black waist coat covered a navy blue shirt worn to perfection. A fashionable scarf was draped around his neck. Sasuke had used gel to keep his hair out of his face but a few defiant strands escaped and fell across his forehead, making the style seem intentional. His face wore an attractively serious expression as he conversed. It sounded like important business. Naruto frowned, reprimanding himself for staring at the man. Just then, the man looked up at him seeing his readiness to leave.

"Mira, escort Naruto out of the building, would you," Sasuke commanded before refocusing on his call.

"Yes sir," the maid responded before guiding Naruto out of the door. The blonde didn't bother to look back as he left. In the elevator, he realized that he was actually on the 21st floor. The doors opened to reveal a classy reception/ security area on the first floor. Naruto felt intimidated all over again. He stared in awe at the cleverly crafted design of the ceiling. He was certain that it costed a fortune. Business people bustled around speaking to co-workers or on their phones. Some stood in lines to speak to the receptionist while others waited in front of the elevators to reach their intended floor. Wait, this didn't look like a residential building.

The maid laughed at his expression as she said, "This is one of the company buildings that Sasuke-sama manages."

"But isn't he yakuza?" Naruto whispered.

Mira shrugged, "His group owns a lot of capital in this country. Don't know the exact amount but I heard it's over fifty percent combined. As such, they have many companies and subsidiaries managed by the top brass in their organization. Being yakuza nowadays doesn't hold the same meaning as in the past. They are also businessmen. Very ironic, huh?"

Naruto tried to wrap his mind around that, changing the stereotype he had of all yakuza people. Then, he thought of Sasuke. Yes, he could believe that. He didn't seem like the typical run of the mill gangster the moment he laid eyes on him. Furthermore, he didn't think he would have gotten to even know this much about the underworld just by their meeting. Granted it was only a little bit of knowledge, it was enough to give him a different perspective on his indiscriminate hate of all yakuza.

"Hmm," Naruto hummed in agreement. "But it doesn't change the fact that being in that line of work still carries the same dangers. All it means is that they have more money to throw around."

Mira tilted her head to the side, not responding.

When they finally exited the building, Naruto turned and smiled at the maid. He couldn't help but think they shared some level of friendship after all the things she had to do for him and all the embarrassing sides she witnessed of him.

"Well, you take care of yourself now." Naruto said as a parting statement after she gave him directions to his relevant bus stop and the train station.

The maid smiled and gave a little wave. He turned and stepped into the wave of moving people. As he walked, he took in the culture and buildings of Kyoto. The darkness hid the true beauty of the landscape but he still appreciated it. Maybe he will return next time and properly go sightseeing.

As he walked towards the bus stop, he felt that it was too early to go home. Picking up a girl and going to a love hotel was still an option. He wasn't concerned about the bruise on his face being an obstacle. The confidence he had in his picking up skills would make up for it. Tapping his fingers against the wallet in his pants, he contemplated his options. He sauntered towards a square where there was a fountain and many people loitering about. There were a lot of girls waiting around. He spotted a beauty who had shoulder-length black hair, pale skin and delicate fingers which ran over the screen of her cell. Instantly, he was reminded of Sasuke and somehow, the girl's attractiveness paled in comparison. Truth be told, none of the girls looked as appealing as he previously thought. He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. Probably, he was just too tired and wasn't thinking straight. There was no way Sasuke was more attractive than these gorgeous women here. The little incident in the yakuza's room was just a bad mistake on his part, never to be made again.

Unluckily, his eyes landed on a transvestite with heavily though poorly applied makeup, staring in his direction and licking his lips. Naruto's heart pounded loudly in fear as the specimen got up from a table and sauntered towards him. The male was at least two heads taller than him and his muscular shoulders were crammed into a pink V-neck t-shirt. It tripped and stumbled ungracefully in its heels, drawing his attention to the mini-skirt that barely covered his junk in front. That was it. Naruto hightailed it out of there. He half-ran and nearly fell into a bus that had arrived at a nearby bus stop, not caring for the bus's destination. He just needed to get out of there. He paid the fee to the driver and took a seat by a window. Glancing out of the window, he nearly got a heart attack when he realized the dude was still staring at him through the glass. The rare beast blew a kiss at him and he sank down into his seat, trying to hide. He silently pleaded to the driver to take off. The few minutes he waited felt excruciatingly slow. He felt as if he lost some years off his life. When he saw the transvestite cross the road heading towards the bus, he almost fainted. Tears literally fell from his eyes when the bus door closed and began to drive away. The passenger next to him gave him weird looks but he didn't even bother to tell him off. He was just so happy and relieved.

He got off two stops later just to be safe then called a cab. Truly was he tired now and home sounded so great at the moment. Following the act of giving the cab driver directions to his home, Naruto leaned his head against the door and dozed off. Mission get laid was an epic failure, was his last thought.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

A phone rang into the night over the sounds of groans and pleas. Sasuke ordered coldly for his men to continue. They had gotten a tip that a small-fry yakuza group led by a man called Ryosuke had information about the bigger fish within the organization which had orchestrated the attack on their office in Kyushu.

The members didn't seem to know anything and their leader was nowhere to be found.

His most trusted bodyguard, Jurou, pulled out a small knife and ran it along a particularly scruffy looking man's face. He sniffled and stuttered, "P-please I don't know anything. We haven't heard anything from our boss i-in two days!"

Without a word, the brunette stabbed the knife into the other's hand, grinding the blade into his bones. The smelly man screamed and cursed at him. Jurou punched him and ordered him to be silent, his boss was taking a call. He squealed in a high pitched voice instead.

Sasuke shook his head and raised the device to his ears. "Masashi, did you do what I asked?"

"Yeah, blondie's definitely on his way home," a deep voice replied. "Should have seen the look on his face."

The raven chuckled, "I imagine you would not have made a very pretty girl."

"Understatement of the year," the man called Masashi mumbled as the sounds of rustling fabric travelled through the phone. "Don't ask me to do this again."

"Sure, I will ask one of the others next time. To be fair and all that." Sasuke inspected his shoes to make sure there wasn't any blood on it to ruin the leather.

"Do you need me to come down to help with the shake down?"

"No, we have it under control. You can have the night off."

"Ok, boss."

Sasuke ended the call and refocused his attention on the motley few who were still alive.

"Try not to kill off anymore before we get an idea of Ryosuke's location," he instructed monotonously before walking back to the car to get some paper work done.


	7. A Time for Fun

**Chapter Six**

A chilly breeze caressed his face and ruffled his hair. Over the balcony of his hotel room on the tenth floor, the bright lights of the city shone beautifully almost as if it stole the luminance of the stars that should have been in the night sky. The beauty of the scene tried to hide the filth that lurked in the deepest corners of Kyoto. But Sasuke knew all too well the deception of mother nature. Sasuke dragged in another deep breath of his Pall Mall cigarette. He savoured the taste, the feel, and accepted the relaxation and calm it provided him. The feeling came more because of the nostalgia than the actual effects of the cheap cigarette. He had taken up smoking near the ending of high school and with the little extra cash he had from his part time job he splurged a little on the cancer sticks. It was cheap and had developed into a habit he found quite difficult to break. More expensive brands did not appeal to him and he wished greatly that the Chief did not force it upon him every time they met. He always told himself that soon he would quit but alas, circumstances never did allow him to.

He slouched a bit over the railing and did a mental checklist of what was to be done tomorrow. Saturday had passed by in a blur. He spent the majority of the day searching for the piece of shit called Ryosuke. He was already slightly displeased that it took all of Friday night to get some sensible clues from his underlings about the places their boss might be. As a reward for being so useless but forthcoming, he ended their lives quickly with a painless bullet to the head. He didn't have to but he felt the world was better off without scum who bit the hand of the one who fed them. Yeah, he did torture them for hours to get the info but if he was in their shoes he would rather accept all pain in the world and eventually death than betray his leader.

They eventually found Ryosuke in a cozy guest house hidden on the edges of southeast Kyoto. However, there was no information to squeeze out of him as someone already had the opportunity to leave him in a puddle of his own blood in the living room with a Beatles record playing in the background. There were at least six stab wounds to this chest.

Sasuke and his men searched the house for anything that might connect them to clues as to who he worked under or was affiliated with. Their search came up clean, too clean. The ebony-haired man suspected that their new nemesis was responsible for this. They were tying up the loose ends and ensuring their ranks were closed and tight-knitted. He didn't like this one bit. It would not be a quiet affair to set up an organization as big as one to oppose someone like them but Sasuke called it tuition when he thought that they would not find anyone who could easily share information about them. Besides, this work demonstrated how swift they were to act and their ruthlessness. Cleaning up any traces of their presence at the crime scene, they left.

Sasuke ran a hand over his tired face. It had definitely been over twenty-four hours since he had sleep yet he could not bring himself to with the restless and apprehension circling his mind. It had already been five days since they made their first move. The lack of activity, the lack of information, and the lack of even a word from the enemy other than the letter… they were all unsettling. Sasuke welcomed the challenge but he wondered if the peacefully beautiful city before him would no longer be once the other shoe dropped. He refused the Chief's invitation the other day because he did not want to meet him with the little, obscure information he had. However, at the rate things were going, the situation was not going to change until the enemy came out of the dark. The best he could do was be fully prepared and that started with fortifying their ranks and their relationship with the authorities. That will start the day after tomorrow. Sunday was the day he gave to his men to spend how ever they wanted (well most of them, anyway). Jurou would be upset with him if he were to move on his own. So he had a day to sit on his ass and twiddle his thumbs uselessly. A frown appeared on his brows. He thought a hotel would be good pace changer but he already wanted to leave. Maybe a strong drink will put him to sleep. At a leisurely pace, he put out his cigarette and re-entered the suite with the intention to order room service.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

"Shika, we need to go out clubbing!" Naruto said exasperatedly as he poured some lemon juice over the pesto pasta he was cooking over the stove.

"Ok…." Shikamaru said slowly, making it clear that he was not taking this best friend seriously.

Naruto had spent the entire day asleep and woke up rather abruptly when his pleasant dreams took a turn for the worse, replaying the kiss he and Sasuke shared yesterday evening. It put him in a foul mood. He dared not recall the details of the vivid dream. Repeatedly, he told himself that it was a gross mistake on his part and whatever curious feelings he had about the yakuza was out of his system. Even if it wasn't, he will forget about it soon because there will be no occasion for the two to meet again. Despite this thought, he still found himself angry for no reason and restless. He reckoned that he was partly upset because he was hungry (yep, when he didn't get his food on time, he tended to get a little cranky). Still, even as he set about to fix that problem, his thoughts kept on returning to Sasuke. Realizing that it was not safe to be with his thoughts alone he called Shikamaru.

"I'm serious. I've been single for almost two years and I haven't gotten laid in over six months. That sounds like a crisis to me." The blonde put the phone down on the counter and put it on speaker mode. He had to use both hands to finish mix the ingredients together.

"Your definition of crisis is somewhat sketchy."

"Come on, Shika. I need this," Naruto responded a little too desperately.

The brunette paused. "How bad?"

"An eight, man."

Shikamaru gave a heavy sigh. Naruto could imagine him dragging a hand over his face wearing a troubled frown.

"Ok, I don't approve but you could come over tomorrow and we'll go. I'll see who else from the gang is up to going."

Cerulean eyes brightened in excited. "Yes! But I want to come over tonight."

"No," was the firm reply.

"Shi-,"

He was cut off when Shikamaru snapped, "Naruto, it's already night time. I don't want you travelling such a long distance now."

"Please. It's only seven. If I get ready by eight and grab a bus to Osaka and a train to Tokyo, I should be there by one in the morning for the latest."

"And that doesn't sound late to you? Uzumaki, you can't expect me to give into your ridiculous requests every time you beg. Your spontaneous decisions have a knack of getting you in trouble."

"I know, I know. But still, I really want some company. I miss you guys." Naruto said sombrely.

"Did something happen? Other than what you don't want to tell me about earlier this week." Shikamaru's concern increased twofold.

Naruto's silence was answer enough.

His friend sighed heavily and Naruto already knew that he had given in. He grinned impishly.

"What a drag…" Shikamaru mumbled. "Don't think that you will always get your way, Naruto Uzumaki."

"Yeah yeah. Ok, gonna eat and get ready to leave. I'll see you in a couple of hours." The blonde's excitement was almost palpable.

"Haa, troublesome… Be safe." Shikamaru sighed.

"Will be!" Naruto chirped.

He hung up then practically inhaled his food, hardly tasting the favours of his skilled hand. In his room, he packed some underwear, toiletries, an outfit to go clubbing and his charger into his overnight bag. He also transferred some important documents he will need on Monday from his briefcase into his bag. Naruto zipped up a suit, shirt and tie into a garment bag so that he could go straight to work from Shikamaru's place. Rapidly he took a shower and put on some casual clothes to travel. Wearing a short sleeved black V-neck, a grey hoodie, and some high cut Converse sneakers over skinny jeans, he was ready to go. He threw his overnight bag over his shoulder and grabbed the garment bag. It was 7:58pm when he left.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

Sixteen minutes past one in the morning met a blonde man outside a high class condominium in Yoyogi. Even though he was only standing outside of the building's gate for one minute, the security guard was already giving him nasty glances. He could tell the security was desperate to use some sort of misplaced authority on him. Naruto was tired and grumpy. He just knew that he would lash out badly if anyone sought to rough him up at this time. To avoid that, he swiftly took out his phone and called Shikamaru, telling him that he was there.

Just as he was finished with his call, a person cleared his throat loudly. The security had gotten out of his booth, adjusting his pants under his beer belly. Annoyance roared its ugly head inside him.

"Hey, punk. This is not a place for someone like you to be. Turn your ass around and go back to the streets where you belong," the fat man said snidely. Every step made him jiggle uncontrollably as he made his way towards him.

Naruto chanted a mantra in his mind to keep it calm. He reasoned with himself that it couldn't be helped. In casual clothes, he did look like a mischievous guy in his late teens. With a groan, he remembered the bruise on his face. Well, that wouldn't help with his appearance.

He put on a friendly smile and answered, "Hey, man. I'm meeting someone here. He's coming down now to verify my identity."

"Yeah somehow I don't believe that," The security finally reached him and took one more step into his personal space.

The blonde's eye level reached his chest and he read "Inoguchi" on his name tag. He didn't look up because he felt that doing that made him lose in some way whenever he was in a hostile situation. He sighed. He will be the bigger man and step away. And so he did.

He took several footsteps backwards then said, "Aren't you being unnecessarily hostile here? Even if you are not certain, I may be a guest to one of the residents here. Because of this, you have an obligation to be polite and take control of the situation until it is verified to be true or otherwise. I'm pretty sure your actions now can cost you your job. And it's just a guess on my part, put I think you definitely need your job to maintain your physique. I mean, it must be expensive to feed all three of your stomachs." Okay, the last part was a little bit much on his part but he couldn't help himself.

"You little piece of shit!" the guard shouted, red in the face. He reached to his side to pull out his baton.

"Whoa man. I was just kidding. Take it easy. I don't want any trouble here." Naruto raised his hand in a placating manner. Where was Shikamaru?

"You need to be taught a lesson, you rude little shit," Inoguchi stepped into his space a second time.

What was it with people only starting fights with him? Why was it that a smile never settled a heated discussion with people in authority?

"I said I was sorry. Can you back off? All you have to do is wait a few minutes and a resident will come and tell you I'm with him," Naruto said, trying again for the friendly approach. He didn't want to cause trouble at his friend's home.

"Back off?" the guard parroted angrily, the rest of what he said clearly passing over his head. Inoguchi swiftly grabbed a handful of Naruto's hair and painfully yanked the blonde towards him. "I will bash your smug pretty little mug in, street trash." His sour breath went directly up his nostrils.

"Naruto!" Shikamaru's voice cut into his brief lapse into insanity where he thought he would kill the pig in front of him. The effort to rein in his rage had him breathing hard.

"Inoguchi, what is going on? Why are you manhandling one of my guests?" Shikamaru snapped sharply. He walked through the gate and took a firm hold on Naruto's arm when he realized the blonde was still staring murderously at the guard, still in place.

"N-nara-san, I-I didn't-," the fat man stuttered, his double chin trembling.

"I clearly called and told you to look out for someone who would arrive around this time. I don't want to hear excuses. This is extremely unprofessional. Frankly, I'm very disgusted at your conduct. Expect to be jobless by tomorrow afternoon." Shikamaru turned abruptly tugging an unwilling Naruto behind him.

When they were in the elevator, Naruto finally let go of his rage in a string of curses, calling the guard every colourful word he could about his appearance. Shikamaru stayed quiet and let him vent. He was always worried that Naruto's temper will land him in an extremely bad place. Indeed if he was in Naruto's position, he would get angry but his friend was a breath's inch from beating the security man to a bloody pulp. If the beating was bad enough, it might land him in jail regardless of him being provoked.

The elevator reached the fifth floor. Shikamaru strolled out; Naruto following, clearly in a bad mood. The brunette released a sigh. He was actually looking forward to this reunion but the incompetent guard outside had to spoil it for them. They stopped at room 502. With a key card, he opened it and they went in.

"This way," Shikamaru muttered and led Naruto to the guest room. The latter dumped his things on the end of the queen-sized bed. He dropped himself unto the bed, a bit back to his usual self. Looking around, he took in the white and rose colour scheme of the room.

"What the fuck, man?"

Shikamaru chuckled, knowing what he meant. "Ino, made me do it."

"You've got to stop letting that girl roll all over you. This room is so disgusting I think I might puke," Naruto pretended to gag.

"Guess that makes you the luckiest person to stay in it right," Shikamaru grinned when a look of horror dawned on the blonde's face.

"No man, don't be so cruel. Look, the curtains have flowers on them!"

"Not my problem," Shikamaru said as he walked out the room.

"Shika!" Naruto called out, getting up. "You should try not to be mean. I have files on you that I am dying to bust."

Shikamaru slowly walked back into the room, his eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't."

Naruto pulled out his phone and selected Ino's contact number. "Try me."

With the most energy than he had exerted for the year, Shikamaru jumped on Naruto, trying to wrestle the phone from out of his hands. The fight lasted for a good ten minutes. At the end of it, a dishevelled Shikamaru stood up triumphantly with the phone in his hand. Naruto remained on the floor catching his breath.

"Shit man, I didn't think you had that much energy. I guess we now know who your red bull is."

"Tch, bitch," was his response as he left the room with Naruto's phone in hand. Naruto laughed loudly.

When his breathing rate returned to normal, he got up and went to look for Shikamaru. He found him in the kitchen. Something was in the microwave. Naruto hopped up and sat on the counter.

"Man, it's so good to see you. I feel as if we're in high school all over again," the blued- eyed male accepted a beer from Shikamaru.

"Yeah," he smiled while taking a sip of his own beer. "And as always you're too troublesome for me to handle."

"You know you love me," Naruto grinned widely.

"It's all in your mind."

"Uh huh…" Naruto wiggled his eyebrows at him.

The other male rolled his eyes and took out the plate with Chinese leftovers from the microwave and placed it in front of Naruto. His belly immediately started to growl.

"Damn you can always read my mind," Naruto groaned, grabbing a fork and gobbling up the food.

"Of course," the brunette smirked. "Let's move this to my room." He grabbed two bags of chips a bottle of vodka Smirnoff.

"Hmm, thought we were gonna leave all of the drinking for tomorrow?"

"When did I say that?"

"Heh, great minds think alike."

"No, it's just me."

Naruto scoffed playfully.

They entered Shikamaru's room. It was huge as expected. A king sized bed sat opposite a 98 inch flat screen TV. Curtains and sheets were shades of dull brown. Naruto rolled his eyes. So typical of the other to have zero sense of creativity when it came to domestic matters. He was a genius at everything else. As one of the most sort after software programmer in the country, his options in the professional world were limitless. When Naruto asked why he didn't create his own company, the bloke said that it was just too troublesome to deal with others and the red tape of it all. He also hated the idea of working under someone else because he would not have the freedom to take long naps whenever he wanted. Thus, he stuck to free lancing. It raked in ten times more money than Naruto thought he could earn in this lifetime… or more. He was actually very proud to have a friend such as him. Through the past long years, he had been his voice of reason whenever he strayed from the straight and narrow path.

They both took off their shoes and crawled under the bed coverings.

"Raise the temperature. It fucking freezing in here," Naruto grumbled as he pulled his plate of food in front of him.

"Calm your tits, mate."

The blonde almost choked on a noodle when surprised laughter bubbled out of him at the poor Australian accent.

"Dude, never do that again. It's embarrassing."

Shikamaru shrugged, a small grin on his face. "Walking Dead?" He asked as he turned on the TV.

"Hmm."

"Season 4?"

"Hm."

"Season 5 then."

"Mhmm."

"Any episode good?"

Naruto just gave him a look.

"Just wanted to make sure. No need to get feisty."

Blondie swallowed the food in his mouth and said, "You know what I want. You know me more than I know myself."

"True." Shikamaru began the first episode on Netflix, pouring Naruto and himself a glass of the alcohol.

They joked about the characters and made bets on who would die in each episode. By the third episode, the bottle of alcohol was done and they were on their last bag of chips.

"Madness…" Naruto gasped as Rick's group totally lost it and began chopping up the humans as if they were like the walkers. "With the world gone to shit, I guess it was only a matter of time before the remaining humans all turned batshit crazy. Wow, cannibalism though? I almost don't feel sorry for them." Naruto slurred his words a little.

The brunette chuckled guzzling the rest of the vodka in his glass. "The terminus dudes should have at least expected that type of retaliation the moment Rick and his crew escaped from them using underhanded tactics. They were fools straight down to the end."

The other chuckled too. "Rick's reactions to threats never disappoint."

They watched the last bit of the episode then basked in the afterglow of it.

"Damn, another awesome episode." Naruto commented absentmindedly.

Shikamaru hummed in agreement. He turned to his bedside clock and noted the time.

"Dude, we definitely need to go to get some sleep if we're gonna go out tonight. It's already five in the morning."

"Already? The time flew past so quickly," Naruto hopped out of bed and ran into the adjacent bathroom. He threw a "I need to pee" over his shoulder.

Slowly, Shikamaru picked up the dirty wares and rested them in the kitchen sink. They will be dealt with when they got up. He threw away the garbage then returned to the room, pulling the heavy drapes over the window. He will hate to be awoken by the sunlight when he finally got comfy in bed.

"Hey I used one of the spare toothbrushes in the cupboard. Was too lazy to go back to the guest room for my own," Naruto said as he exited the bathroom.

"Sure, man." the other lazily walked into the bathroom to get ready for bed.

Naruto settled down in Shikamaru's bed. He had enjoyed the company. No longer were useless thoughts flowing around in his head. He felt back to normal. So what if Sasuke was attractive? It was a perfectly normal observation that any straight man would make. So what if he wanted to kiss him and did? He was tied to the bed so of course his rationality had flown out of the window. Yet he wondered what that said about his sexuality. Did that mean that he was bisexual? He wanted to confirm it before he said anything to his friends. He was dying to talk about it with Shika but he couldn't bring himself. Despite their many years of friendship, he was scared that just that would change things between them forever.

Shikamaru turned off the light in the bathroom as he exited. "Tch, there is a reason I led you to the guest room."

"Meh, I'm already settled down. Don't plan on moving," Naruto mumbled as he burrowed further into the sheets.

"Damn, just don't fart," Shikamaru warned as he climbed into the other side of the bed after taking off the lights.

"It'll be pretty hard to control if I'm unconscious," Naruto said as he snickered.

The other just sighed and turned on his side away from the blonde. Silence settled over them and Naruto felt the threads of sleep tugging at him.

"So, you gonna tell me about that bruise on your face?"

Naruto blinked the sleepiness away. Shit, he knew his friend wouldn't let it slide. It could either put off the discussion until another day or just lie. Well he was a terrible liar, especially when it came to lying to Shikamaru. So he decided to put off the inevitable and go for a half truth.

"You know me. I got upset, got into a fight then reaped the benefits of the seeds I sowed."

A vague "Hmm," was all he got in response.

When the other said nothing more, he took it as a sign that the discussion was over. So, he closed his eyes and surrendered to his dreams.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

It was late evening when there was a buzz over the intercom. Shikamaru and Naruto had woken up about three hours ago. They had ordered some pizza and were catching up on each other's life.

"Nara-san, there is an Inuzuka and Yamanaka here to see you. Should I send them up?" a guard asked over the device.

"Yeah, they are guests of mine."

"Will do, sir."

The intercom buzzed to a quiet.

"Hmm did you deal with the asshole guard from last night?" Naruto glared a bit as he shoved a whole pizza slice in his mouth.

"Yeah. I talked with management. He should be fired." Shikamaru gave Naruto a disgusted look.

"What?" Naruto's voice was muffled due to his mouth being full with unchewed food. A bit fell unto the table.

Naruto burst out laughing when his bestie just got up and walked out of the kitchen. The doorbell rang. Shikamaru answered the door and his fellow two boisterous friends entered the condo.

"Naruto, my man! How have you been?" Kiba ran up to him, giving him a hearty hug.

Naruto returned the embrace enthusiastically. "Kiba, you old dog. I missed you, man. I'm the same old and you?"

"All good, all good," he replied giving a thump on the blonde's back before making way for drama-queen-number-two of their group.

"Naruto!" Ino squealed as she glomped him.

"Well you're looking as sexy as ever, Ino," Naruto leered at her while squeezing her in his arms.

She gushed happily and said, "You don't look too bad yourself. Except for that little mark on your face."

"Well you know me. Can't seem to keep myself out of trouble," Naruto grinned pulling back to look her in the eyes.

"I'm so excited! We're going clubbing tonight!" Kiba said throwing his things on the chair.

"Yeah. But I'm kind of disappointed that all of us couldn't go." Ino said as she unwound the scarf around her neck.

Shikamaru came back into the kitchen and leaned against the wall. "It's Naruto's fault for being so spontaneous. No one had a chance to plan. Neji's on call tonight. Hinata's on a business trip and Shino has his hands full with an experiment he has to keep his eyes on overnight."

"Oh, come on. Next time we will plan properly. For now let's focus on enjoying ourselves. Tonight we'll focus on getting drunk and fishing in the ladies."

Kiba gave a loud hoot of agreement, thumping Naruto's fist. "Dude, you're already talking serious talk. Tonight is all for the V's." The shorter brunette wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"You guys are such horn dogs," Ino muttered, rolling her eyes.

"Sweetheart, every single guy is a horn dog. The difference between each male is how well they hide it. Right Shika?" Naruto said sagely, winking at his best friend.

"So troublesome," he muttered.

"Whatever, I'm going to start getting ready. Naruto, you better start too. You take as long as me to get dressed." Ino said as she walked towards the guest bathroom.

"I do not!" Naruto shouted after her. She did not respond so he looked at Kiba and Shikamaru. "Right?"

"Dude, she's kind of right," Kiba grabbed a slice of pizza from the open box on the table.

"Shika?"

He just shrugged and walked away.

Naruto grabbed the half-eaten pizza slice from Kiba's hand and shoved it into his mouth. Kiba stared at his empty hand mournfully.

"You were supposed to say 'No Naruto, that crazy girl doesn't know what she's talking about.' You're such a useless friend." Naruto grinned evilly at Kiba as he gazed back into the empty pizza box sadly.

"Come on, Naruto. You don't play with a man's food like that," Kiba whined.

"Now you would think twice before you answer questions," Naruto smugly walked out of the kitchen into Shikamaru's room.

"Gonna borrow the shower." He said to Shikamaru who was sitting on the bed reading some papers. Then, he got in and took his time to bathe. He even began to sing his favourite song, 'A Thousand Miles' by Vanessa Carlton. By the time he was fully dressed, it was a few minutes past ten. He got Ino to apply his concealer. She even forced him to wear some eyeliner which surprising took well to his face. After a debate, they decided to go to a rave in Shimbashi.

"Ino, you better bring some slippers or something to replace those heels later on, eh. I'm not gonna spend half my night carrying you around because your feet hurt like last time," Kiba complained.

Ino frowned. "Last time, I wore on closed toe pumps. Of course, they were gonna hurt eventually. This time, I'm wearing more comfortable heels. I should be able to stand in them for hours with no problem. Don't get your knickers in a twist."

Naruto looked at Ino's black strapped stilettoes and failed to see how they could possibly be comfortable when she was forced to walk on her toes all night. Indeed it sexily complimented her jean shorts and glittery crop top which had slits throughout the length of it except around her boobs. Her black bra showed through the top if she raised her hand or bent down. She wore gold accessories around her neck and wrist and gathered her hair in a high ponytail. The makeup on her face made her look like a dark diva. Naruto playfully leered and complimented her.

Naruto had gone for the emo, all black look. He had on a tight leather pants and a black tight arm-hole top. A zip ran from the middle of the shirt to the bottom end. There were also stylish rips through the back and upper half of the top. He clasped a plain leather choker around his neck. A high cut boots with fashionable straps completed the outfit. The male blonde used gel to make his hair stand up in little spike but left the front to fall softly unto his face. Kiba joked that he left nothing to the girls' imagination.

Kiba had on a dark blue jeans with soft material. It wasn't as tight as the blonde's but it was pulled unto his hips, giving him the sagging-pants-bad-boy look, and hugged his legs in all the right places. Suspenders hung from the jeans along with a chain attached to his side belt loop. He also wore on high cut black boots. A white wife beater was covered by an army coloured hoodie. His hair was worn fresh out of the bathroom, i.e., he went with the ruffled, unkempt look. This look went well with him.

Shikamaru did not bother to spend any energy on his outfit and put on a ripped black skinny jeans with a fitted moss green V-neck t-shirt. When Naruto begged him to put a little more effort into it, he placed a necklace with a delicate jade stone around his neck. On his feet, he wore a black Timberland boots. He ignored Naruto when he asked him to change his top. Nothing he could do for that.

They herded themselves to Shikamaru's Tiida in the carpark, receiving obvious stares from residents who passed by. Such up-tight bastards. Naruto pulled his coat closer to himself to keep the cold night air from chilling him to the bone. He breathed a sigh of relief when he jumped into the passenger seat in front.

When they all were inside the car, Naruto quickly asked, "Who is the designated driver tonight?"

"Isn't it obvious, blondie?" Kiba rolled his eyes.

"No. Shika will be drinking with me." Naruto stated, looking stubbornly at Shikamaru. He made it clear that it wasn't up for discussion.

"Well, let us leave quickly. Hopefully we could get a park at the nearby overnight carpark and take a cab home." Ino joined in, looking in her mirror to ensure her face was on properly.

"There is one of those?" Shikamaru turned around to look at the blonde woman.

"Yeah, just two blocks away from the location. Do you remember the plot of land opposite the tiny liqueur store on the fifth avenue? The land is owned by one of the organizers and the knowledge that it is available for parking was shared with a limited number of people. Seeing as we are a bit early, hopefully we can get a park there."

"Huh, I'm always impressed by your vast intel about the parties happening around Tokyo," Shikamaru muttered, turned around and started the vehicle.

"Will the rave be any good?" Naruto asked as he took off his coat.

"Of course! I heard from the friend of a friend that some famously talented DJ's will be there. The warehouse is awesome and was being prepped from since this morning. One of my girl friends has been there since morning helping her boyfriend set up. She texted me a few hours ago and said that it's the best she has seen in a while," Ino bragged.

"Well let's hope so," Kiba said as he looked out the window as the car drove to its destination.

It took about twenty minutes for them to reach Shimbashi and five minutes to luckily get a park in the temporary carpark. Raucous laughter came from the groups of people in the carpark who decided to wait it out until the party came to full swing around eleven or twelve. The group of four stepped out of the Tiida, ready for some fun.

"Ground rule, guys. No drugs," Shikamaru said looking specifically at Ino.

"Don't look at me. I know," the woman said looking guiltily away.

"Yeah, you just need me to have all the fun you need," Naruto smirked widely before looking around.

"Ino!" A girl with tons of piercings and tattoos with barely any clothes covering her body ran up to them. Naruto was impressed at her talent of running in what looked like 7 inch heels. "You're here," she squealed as she hugged the blonde girl. The two began talking girl talk excitedly and in high pitched voices. Naruto tuned out, not interested. He scoped the area out to see if he could spot any female his type.

"Try not to look so obvious, man," Kiba joked as he scoped around himself.

"Guys, try not to be too troublesome tonight. Naruto don't forget you have work tomorrow so all your talk about getting the V is kind of useless," Shikamaru said as he leaned against his car.

"Shit, man, way to be a downer," Naruto glared at his bestie.

"Just being the responsible one. Someone had to say it." The taller brunette shrugged.

"Alright, dad," Naruto muttered as he turned his attention back to Ino. It was time for him to get some drinks and dance the next few hours away.

Said girl was already surrounded by a group of girls and about two thirsty looking guys. No harm in that. She could take care of herself against at least that many scavengers.

"Hey Ino, it's about 11. Let's head in," Naruto called, deciding that the girls might start looking better in the dark warehouse with a few drinks in him.

The first thing that hit the blonde male as he entered the place was the pulsing beat of the techno music. Laser lights fanned out across the bodies in the middle already engrossed in dancing in time with the music. There were huge fans on the edges of the room to take a bit of the heat away but Naruto didn't mind. It was a bit cold anyway. They actually put a disco ball in the centre of the ceiling. The darkness on the dance floor had a way of taking away one's shyness or tension. He grinned in excitement. Leading the four to the bar set up near the entrance, they surprisingly did not have to wait long to get two Vodka shots each. When they felt the alcohol buzz loosen them up a bit, they got some beers (Naruto got himself a bottle of Bailey's just because they were available) and headed to the dance floor.

At first, they danced together, shouting when a song they loved started playing and attempting to imitate the dance moves. Shikamaru was Naruto's main source of entertainment as he tried to subtly move behind Ino and dance on her. However, with alcohol in his system, it made him an unexpected clutz. He stumbled over other dancers feet, tripped into other bodies and one time even fell to the floor. Kiba and Naruto were practically rolling on the ground with laughter. Ino, finally took pity on him, turned around and linked her arms around his neck to keep him steady. When things began to get a little hot between them, Naruto and Kiba made a run for it. The two had a thing for each other since they could remember. That's why it was such a mystery why the two had not hooked up as yet. Whenever Naruto brought it up, Shika got stubborn and they fought so the blonde learned to generally ignore it.

After about half an hour of dancing together, Naruto got separated from Kiba. The hype had reached its climax and he knew it was pointless searching for anyone in the mass of bodies gyrating to the blasting music in the pulsing darkness. So he decided just get lost in it and enjoy himself as he had planned before. He danced with various girls and between some of his favourite beats he went to get some more alcohol in him. In the midst of the haze of alcohol and executing some of his choreography, he found a dance partner who could keep up with him. She was tall; only a few centimetres shorter than he was. She had a lot of piercing but it made her look more exotic amidst the shoulder length black hair, dark eyes and painted purple lips. She was a little above average in the looks department. She was dressed in a dark crop top and tight shorts. He couldn't be sure of the colours of anything and what she had on her feet because of the darkness but he bet it fashionably suited her. Experimentally, he grabbed the girl's waist and when she didn't reject him, he pulled her against him and moved rhythmically to the song that had begun to play, _Turn up the Music_ by Chris Brown.

Naruto didn't like to boast but he knew he could dance. In another life, he promised himself that he would dedicate his life and career to it. However, for then, he performed some of the dance moves he vaguely remembered from the music video and immediately became more enamoured with the dark girl as she fluidly and gracefully twisted and flowed with the beat in time with him. He even began feeling slightly turned on. From what he felt, the girl was toned and had a beautiful body. They spent the rest of the time revolving around each other, hands sliding over each other's bodies, dipping, grinding, and whining around each other. They were in a world with just themselves and the music. Sweat dripped into his eyes from the heat and exertion. There was a connection between the both of them. Naruto gave his signature smirk and heated gaze reserved for situations just like this which promised a world of pleasure as well as delicious activities. The girl blinked a bit surprised… at first. Then, she gave a slow smile that spoke of her interest. She turned around and wrapped her arms around the blonde's neck. Immediately, their dancing became more intimate. The girl spoke for the first time since they met.

"Hey, blondie, I hope that look means you're as talented in bed as you are on the dance floor," she spoke directly into his ears. Her voice was lower than an average girl's and it increased her sex appeal.

"Heh, one taste of me and you would be craving for more," Naruto whispered huskily into her ears, satisfied with the shiver he incited in response.

The woman licked her lips and settled heavy-lidded eyes on his. "The name's Keiri."

"Naruto," He purred as he lightly ran his fingertips down her exposed lower back.

"Tch, let's move this to a more private location," Keiri sounded a little breathless.

"You have a car?"

"Yeah."

"Then it will have to be your place. I'm not from around here," Naruto said as he nibbled her earlobe. He knew he should not be doing this as he had promised Shikamaru that tonight was only to drink and dance. However, he felt stretched to the limit. He was sexually frustrated and with alcohol in his system, his libido was the only thing foremost in his mind.

"Hmm, not a problem," she hummed then turned, pulling him along to the exit.

They almost cleared the doorway when an arm latched onto Naruto's arm and pulled him to a stop. He almost fell over.

"Where do you think you are going?" Irritation oozed out of Shikamaru's voice as he glared at his best friend.

The blonde chuckled lightly, scratching the back of his neck.

"Shika, what are you doing here?"

"I came with you, remember?" Shika spared a glance at the girl who was looking at the both of them without a readable expression.

"Oh, yeah," he responded dumbly.

"Tch, why do I always have to keep an eye on you? We'll be leaving in ten minutes so finish your business in that time," Shikamaru turned and re-entered the mass of moving bodies. Naruto assumed that he went to herd up the unruly pack so they could catch a cab back together.

"Well that's a shame," Keiri said. She drew herself up against the front of Naruto's body.

"Indeed," Naruto murmured, raking his eyes suggestively along her body. He liked what he saw.

"Well Naruto, since you intrigued me, I will leave you with a parting gift. I don't do this often so feel honoured," She said then asked him to hand her his phone. After she typed in her contact information she handed it back to him, saying, "Whenever you're around here again, give me a call. I'm up for anything as long as you deliver as big as you talk." She then tip-toed, planting a firm kiss on his lips. He responded heatedly but didn't cross the border into French-kissing. This meant that he was a bit more sober than he wanted to be. Maybe that was a good thing? She ended the kiss with a playful bite to his lower lip and Naruto felt a light tingle to his lower regions.

"Good night then, blondie," she threw behind her as she sashayed away towards her vehicle, making Naruto lament the opportunity he just missed.

True to his word, Shikamaru re-appeared within ten minutes with a totally drunk Ino draped over his back and a staggering Kiba. Naruto guffawed at the sight, slightly proud that he was not in that state which was a usual for him. They called a cab and reached Shikamaru's condo at around three in the morning. Naruto took a quick bath and slept. He left the owner of the house to take care of his two other guests. After all, he could only get a grand total of two hours of sleep before he had to leave for work. He was regretting his spontaneity a bit now.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

Naruto strutted into his office with a straight back, a forced grin and a bitchy attitude that gave women a run for their money. He barely had two hours of sleep and he spent the rest of the morning with no breakfast, traveling from Tokyo to Osaka. He reached Asa Pharmaceuticals on time but he felt like absolute shit. A few pills of paracetamol barely kept his hangover to a bearable ache. Downing a few cups of water from the office cooler, he got out his schedule for his boss. Not feeling alive as yet, he went to the bathroom to splash some cold water on his face. Weariness almost overwhelmed him. He only had to suffer through eight hours then he could find sweet release in his bed. As he exited the bathroom, he glanced over at the mounted clock.

Seven hours and fifty-two minutes to go.

He went through his work routine of greeting Hatake, give him his schedule and then hack down the huge pile of paperwork that had built up in his absence. He obscurely realized that his boss's askance into his well-being and jokes flew over his head. In fact, all his responses were set on autopilot to conserve energy. Miraculously, he got through the day without any major incidents occurring. He would like to say the suffering he endured that day would make him think twice before he picked up himself to go partying at the worst time but he knew that he would do it all over again when he got the chance. One just couldn't change that about him. It was almost as if it were a part of his genes.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

"Hey, you going to the charity event, 'Give One, Save Many', on Thursday, right?" Naruto asked. It was Tuesday night and he decided to talk to Shika as a bit of a break from the paperwork he was catching up on at home.

"Hmm, yeah," the brunette responded.

"'Kay."

"You will be there?"

Naruto gave a big sigh. "Yeah, Hatake is dragging me along since apparently I will relieve him from the 'monotony of having to speak to uptight businessmen who are only using the event as a means to grab more business opportunities and thus, further line their pockets with money'."

Shikamaru chuckled. "Yeah, there are very few companies that genuinely support charity events. Most of them are just in it for the good publicity. So what? The charities get what they need and the people who support get to network. It's a win, win for everyone."

"But all that uptight talk about businesses, making deals and ass kissing doesn't annoy the hell out of you?"

"Well, as a free-lancer it doesn't really affect me. Besides, most of those who are not interested have already developed their technique of brushing off unwanted contacts. Actually, a charity event can be quite entertaining. I'll show you when we are there. The inexperienced are like fish flopping around on dry land desperate to make deals that are way out of their league."

Naruto laughed. "It's starting to sound more like my kind of thing."

"Making fun of people is always your thing. Maybe you could use this chance to do some good."

"Nah, I will leave it to bleed hearts like you to be serious about charity events," the blonde said dismissively.

"You're an asshole."

"Stop feeding my ego." Naruto laughed again.

Shika muttered a 'troublesome'.

"Hey, gotta get back to my work See ya Thursday, okay?"

"Yeah."

He hung up. Thursday wasn't sounding as bad as it initially did. He had to pick up his Brioni three piece suit from the dry cleaners tomorrow. A night spent with pompous rich bastards with expensive wine, exquisite food, condescending attitudes and entitled remarks seemed doable.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

Light clapping followed the speech that the charity's founder made. The hall, which was booked in a high class hotel in Tokyo, was beautifully, expensive-looking. The colour scheme, gold and white, complimented the grand chandeliers lining the ceiling breathtakingly. Naruto had to stop himself many times from gawking at it like an idiot. The food and decorations as well as the attendees met his every expectation, much to his disappointment. The food was on point and lovely to look at. The same could not be said for the attendees. All of them seemed to be cut from the same cloth. They wore on posh designer flowing dresses or tuxedos, laughed and talked discreetly while plotting a political move behind their smiles. Sadly, the blonde could not say that he differed in appearance from these dull, demure people. Naruto desperately tried to stifle a yawn.

"Come on, Naruto. Look lively. It's only the beginning of the evening," Kakashi, his boss, said cheerfully, his grin hidden beneath his black scarf.

Naruto almost snapped back at him in irritation. He had yet to see Shikamaru. The throngs of self-entitled people around him, who he couldn't hold a normal conversation with without the topic of how many zeroes were in his bank account, were starting to wear his nerves thin.

Instead of responding, he settled for sipping some of the Chateau Mouton wine in his hand. Maybe if he got drunk enough, his boss will take pity on him and send him home.

"Oh, come on. Don't be like that. I'm sure you would find someone decent to have a conversation with soon," the grey-haired man said, the pleasure in his suffering clear in his tone.

A sharp looking man in a brown Hugo Boss tux walked up to Kakashi and smoothly introduced himself. Naruto gave him seven points for his confidence and technique. When the conversation fell into business jargon and the shares market, the blonde lost interest and wandered away. He wanted to call Shikamaru to ask him where he was but he felt that was him being a bit childish. So, he settled next to a window, casually observing the men and women before him. They all seemed intense in some way. Clearly, their conversations had nothing to do with the charity event that they were attending, or so he thought.

Then his eyes fell on a dark smouldering pair. He felt a jolt rush through his head, down his spine and settled at the bottom of his stomach. The familiar obsidian eyes stared unwavering at him from across the room. He ignored the woman next to him who seemed unaware that her conversational partner no longer had his attention on her. The blonde's hands became clammy. All the insecurities he felt that he had forgotten with the time spent away from that cursed penthouse in Kyoto, came rushing back. God, it was sinful to look that sexy in a three piece suit. The man, named Sasuke, ran a hand through his dark soft-looking hair. Instead of his hair becoming messy, it made him look dangerously and fashionably unkempt. He wore royal blue under his black suite and black shoes (his signature colours?). They were all probably expensive brand names that he could never hope to afford. The clothes hung to his body deliciously, highlighting all the good parts of his physique. Naruto felt some blood involuntarily move downwards and forced his eyes to look at a married old couple a few feet from him.

"Shit, shit, shit," was all he chanted in his mind as he downed the rest of the strong wine in his glass. One look was all it took to break down all the walls he had rebuilt? Why was the bastard here? Why did he look so fucking attractive? Why was he motherfucking turned on? The rollercoaster of emotions began anew and Naruto needed to escape before he returned to the state he was in only a mere six or so days ago. The blonde placed his glass on a waiter's tray as he swiftly turned to exit the hall. He would message Kakashi later and tell him that he became ill. Technically, it was true. His emotional and mental wellbeing was at stake if he stayed any longer.

With a brisk pace, he stalked towards the elevators and impatiently jabbed the down button, willing the doors to open up immediately. The device dinged. Relief rained down on the blonde. He made to step into the elevation.

A strong hand grabbed his upper arm and tugged him firmly to the side away from the elevator. "Where are you going in such a hurry?"

Naruto's heart dropped heavily.


	8. Internal Conflict

**Chapter Seven**

As the red-haired woman continued to drone on about herself, Sasuke raked his eyes over the crowd of people at the 'Give One, Save Many' Charity. As manager of a few companies under his group's name, he was obligated to attend this event; an essential PR move. He could not shirk his responsibilities because the event did provide an important means of making connections and profit for his Chief. Businessmen were rabid, hungry dogs that didn't care where money came from, only that it could line their pockets and further enrich their lifestyle. Tonight, there was no need to network and sweet talk CEOs into making deals that were less forthcoming for them. His corporations were running well and with the 'impending doom' slowly creeping up from behind, he wanted nothing new to handle on his plate. He had planned to spend only an hour, show his face to the founder then make a crafty exit.

However, his plans came to a screeching halt when his eyes fell on beautiful azure orbs which widened immediately when recognition shone in them. Well, well, well, look who polished up quite well. The dobe wore on a grey three piece suit. From its cut, Sasuke knew it was a brand named garment. It fitted him quite nicely; stretched across his stately back, flowed over his hips and smoothly fell around his shapely legs. Well, he knew the legs part from the numerous times he saw the man without clothes. Although his face remained expressionless, he mentally licked his lips in appreciation of the sight. The blonde, with his hair slicked back, had decided to become a wallflower instead of socializing with the elitist bunch; an action he did not quite expect from the expressive male. Not that he was complaining. It meant there were no shoes he had to step over to engage him. Amusement slithered into his eyes when Naruto's demeanor became panicked as he threw back the rest of wine in his glass.

He could tell the other was going to run so he gracefully excused himself from his company and glided through the crowd out the door he saw his target disappear through. Just as Naruto attempted to step into the open elevator, he quickly caught his arm in a firm grip and pulled him to the side towards some windows.

"Where are you going in such a hurry?" Sasuke drawled coolly.

Naruto felt as though all his nerves were standing on edge. This occurrence had not even crossed his mind in his wildest dreams. He was so sure that he would never meet the yakuza again in this lifetime that he felt disoriented as he was faced with the actual situation.

'Okay, Naruto. Grow a fucking pair. The guy is human. Just deal with him like a normal human being. Geez, quit spazzing out,' Naruto scolded himself.

Taking a deep breath, Naruto forced himself to meet Sasuke's eyes confidently. A little disgruntled, he shook off the raven's hand and folded his arms.

"I was leaving. Where I go is none of your business, is it?"

"It's not. But it hurts a bit when you take one look at my face and make a run for it," his monotonous tone made the sentence sound ingenuine.

"I panicked," Naruto admitted. "You can't blame me after all the things you did to me."

"Oh, stop sounding like those generic bitches." Sasuke snapped icily as he walked towards the window with his hands shoved into his pockets.

Naruto frowned. He would have gotten angry but decided to self-reflect first. The four days spent at Sasuke's home wasn't all that bad. The guy was cordial for the most part. When the older man got pissed, it was because he did something to set him off. However, that did not excuse the events on Friday. Where did he get off throwing things at him and tying him to his bed forcefully? Yes, he had a right to get angry.

"Well, this bitch thinks you need to fuck off. Don't think that you could charm or intimidate your way out of every goddamn situation," Naruto said coldly. It trembled with the effort it took to keep himself from shouting. "Restraining me was a bad move but I let it slide that time. Don't make me regret it."

"Look at you getting all feisty," Sasuke droned, measuring him up with his eyes. "I seem to recall that halfway through that period of restraint, you were quite willing."

Naruto shifted uncomfortably to his other leg. Every ounce of his will was placed into not remembering the incident. "Doesn't change the fact that you were wrong to tie me up. If you can't see that, then this –whatever the fuck it is- is over."

A few minutes lapsed into silence. When Sasuke made no inclination to respond, Naruto took that as a signal to leave. Maybe now he could get over the obsession he held for the dark-haired man. He was not at all affected by the other's presence. Nope, the heavy feeling in his chest was because he had heartburn. Heh, if he said it a million times, it was bound to become true, right?

"No more involuntary shackling." Sasuke glanced at him from the corner of his eyes as he faced the window and the night sky beyond.

Naruto swallowed his saliva loudly. Shit, he had inadvertently implied that should the other comply with his demands then their weird relationship could continue. He wasn't very sure if he said that on purpose or not. What did he want? He stopped and really looked at the man in front of him. Sasuke was undeniably beyond attractive. It was an established fact. But was that just it? Was all the attraction just superficial? No, that was not entirely it. An air of absolute command and confidence exuded from the taller male. His locked off facial expressions held many secrets and past history that Naruto surprisingly wanted to know. The blonde kicked himself. That was a world which smart people would run from, avoid like the plague. Why was he thinking so hard on this? Releasing a sigh, he stepped back and slouched against the wall.

Because, he will damn well regret it if he let it slip past his fingers without doing anything. His life's policy was to live without any regrets. Still, it was hard to give into something so foreign.

"Fuck, all this is more trouble than it's worth," Naruto mumbled, dragging a tired hand roughly through his hair.

He heard a soft chuckle and ignored the small tremors it sent through him. The elevator was right there. He could just turn, enter it and return to normalcy. But alas, he was a glutton to pain and hardships.

Sasuke stepped into his personal space. A whiff of a mild spice cologne caught his senses. The scent suited the man well. Naruto shifted to escape but found himself trapped between two sinewy arms covered in soft black material. He found it difficult to string any sensible thoughts together.

"I gave you enough time to think. Shall we give a name to 'whatever the fuck this is'?" Sasuke voiced quietly, a low vibrato in his ears. The yakuza knew that he was treading dangerous waters. He knew he had no time for distractions and the blonde enigma was a huge one. Furthermore, it was selfish of him to force Naruto to be closer to him when he knew that at any time, gang warfare threaten to break loose with him at the centre. Nevertheless, when he saw something he wanted, he always got it. The consequences and complications will be dealt with later.

Naruto looked into his eyes and responded, "Not as yet. I need more time."

"How much fucking time do you need?" Annoyance echoed in the other's voice.

The blonde suddenly felt laughter bubbling up from his throat. "Why the rush? You don't strike me as someone who likes being tied down. Because, trust me, the moment I give you a clear answer is the moment you will be firmly tied down."

A look of amusement came in the form of a twitch on his lips. "No one can restrict me in any way."

Naruto blinked slowly, gathering his thoughts. "Look here, Sasuke. If all you are interested in is a quick fuck, then I suggest you search elsewhere. I am not going to go through hell and back, questioning my sexuality and risk losing relationships over a mere one night stand. I want to know that if I turn everything I know and I'm comfortable with upside down, it wouldn't be for cheap sex that would make me feel confused and empty in the end. I could easily have that with a hooker and I wouldn't feel like I betrayed someone, myself for it. Don't do that to me. We are both adults here so can we act it?"

Again, there was a long pause. Sasuke's gaze borrowed into unwavering cerulean eyes. He knew that blondie came along with complicated attachments but somehow, as he rolled it around in his mind, it did not deter him.

"Hn," was all he said as he straightened up. He made to turn around but Naruto grabbed him by the edge of his suit jacket, firmly keeping him in place.

"That is not a response," anger was now seeping through. After he poured his guts out, he wanted something a little more than a grunt in return. He was not even asking for much.

"I'll give you the time you need," the yakuza grabbed Naruto's hand and gently pried it away from his clothes. He leaned back into his personal space and whispered in his ears, "In the meanwhile, you better not get involved with anymore whores. In fact, keep your partying to a minimum, because my mild amusement can quickly turn ugly at the tiniest provocation. And you would not want to be at the receiving end of that. Being tied down goes both ways." Sasuke moved back a little to ensure that Naruto saw the dead expression in his eyes that promised that his threat was not just words carelessly tumbling out his mouth.

Naruto felt his crotch twitch and he wondered if he sustained brain damage from an unknown injury. He couldn't believe the threat just turned him on. Sasuke was every bit as dangerous as he suspected. Wait, partying? Whores? Sasuke had him tailed? A level of shock flooded his mind when he realized that he was not overly appalled at Sasuke's actions. It was a blatant encroachment on his privacy but it was not an act that was beneath expectations. Another matter to deal with another day. He had enough emotional turmoil for the day. The blonde did not bother to stop the other as he turned to leave once more. He absentmindedly thought how words could not describe how much grace and power the yakuza emitted as he strolled back into the hall. He was reminded of a black panther, roaming around in the wild, everything available for its taking.

Suddenly, he became aware that he was actually at a charity event again. He had completely forgotten when Sasuke and he had been wrapped up in a world of their own. Shit, their conversation did not appear to be between normal businessmen or even friends. His thoughts was reaffirmed when a group near the entrance continually sneaked glances at him while whispering to each other. How could he have forgotten the basic tpo and have such an intimate conversation in this public space? By now, some unknown grandma was caught up in the gossip too. If it was one thing rich people excelled expertly at, it was knowing everyone's business. Angrier at himself than anything, he braved the heavy stares as he re-entered the party in search of his boss. He was ready to leave.

In the midst of searching for the gray-haired man, his eyes recognized his best friend conversing with a middle-aged woman who was famous for inheriting billions of dollars from her estranged father who passed away unexpectedly. He halted in his tracks then turned to complete his task of finding his boss. After he did, he quickly exited the hotel and hailed a cab to go home. Even if Shikamaru did not know then about his strange behaviour with another male, he would know before the night was up. He felt as if he had enough on his plate and dealing with that aspect required him to recharge his empty batteries and get mentally prepared. Maybe two or three days were the needed amount. All in all, he needed a game plan and that was exactly what he would focus on only.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

Sunday of the weekend met Naruto lounging in his bed, staring blankly at _Friends_ reruns while stuffing junk food into his orifice. His big talk about making game plans and building his confidence to face the difficulties came up to zilch. The fear of making a big leap into homosexuality made him a nervous wreck. So much so, that he much rather just pretend it all away for then. He ignored the many calls he received, only checking occasionally to ensure that it was not a call from Hatake. He had not taken a bath since Friday afternoon. His bed and body were covered in chips, biscuit and bread crumbs. He only ventured off his bed when the urge to use the bathroom got so great he could not ignore. Just then, his landline began to ring. Ignoring it, he picked up the remote control and switched the channel to Cartoon Network. An episode of _The Powerpuff Girls_ instantly captured his attention. Oh how far he had fallen.

It was only when the episode ended that he realized that his cell phone, which had been vibrating for quite a while, still continued to ring. What a persistent bastard. He gave whoever was calling an A for effort and rewarded them by answering. Most likely it was Shikamaru.

"What's up?" he droned almost choking on a marshmallow. "Shika?"

"Why the fuck haven't you been answering your phone?" a velvety baritone asked, rage highlighting the edges of his voice.

Naruto sat up straight. His eyes were wide. How did the yakuza get his number? The initial shock quickly wore off. Of course he would have it. He was Mr. Connections-All-Over-the-World.

"Well excuse me if I didn't telepathically get your command to answer your calls. Don't feel special, I just haven't been taking any calls for the weekend." The blonde spoke lethargically, stuffing three marshmallows in his mouth. He cursed when his feet nudged an open bag of chips unto the floor. Attempting to swallow the gelatin goodness, he hopped off the bed trying to get the best out of the five second rule and shoving the fallen chips into his mouth.

"Get ready in an hour's time. We are going out," Sasuke said, ignoring the questionable sounds coming from the other end.

The blonde laughter sounded nearly hysterical. "I think not. This weekend is all for myself. It's an important time for me and this will be an important time for you to respect others' privacy and previously made plans."

"Don't make me repeat myself," Sasuke said.

"Sasuke, I'm beginning to realize that you have a serious problem of disregarding what others say. It's not an attractive feature. Maybe you should work on it or else I wouldn't feel inclined to start any sort of relationship with you."

When he was met with wordlessness, he continued, "Maybe your plans could wait until next week. I haven't planned anything then. Now if you'll excuse me, the climax of my afternoon was just about to begin with some much needed booze."

He hung up. Picking up the bag of chips, he carelessly tossed it unto the bed. He wiped his fingers on his white vest which was not so much white as it was a multitude of brown, grey and orange colours. In his kitchen, he grabbed his bottle of tequila and a shot glass. A thought passed through his head that probably this was not a good idea. Sure, he felt cornered, frustrated and alone but drinking himself stupid was not the answer. He exchanged his shot glass for a normal one and filled it halfway. As he took a big gulp of it, he slid to the floor thinking. That was all he did these days; go around in circles in his head. Naruto already knew what he wanted from Sasuke. However, he was afraid to take that final step due to his fabricated reactions of his friends when he eventually told them. They were like family to him. It was unbearable to think that they might reject him if he were to come out to them. Logic said one thing and his mind played nasty tricks in the form of scenarios where his friends rejected him, gazed at him with disgusted looks as if he were a cockroach.

Naruto tugged at his hair painfully. Of course they would not do that… right? They had a bond shaped by more than ten years of time. Even if they did not accept his sudden divergence into the gay community, they would come to eventually right? Gay? He knew he was attracted to Sasuke but he could not see other men in the same light. He thought about Kiba and Shino and almost gagged. He could hide it from them but it was not within his personality to. If he did, it would just feel like a huge burden that would only serve to put a huge wedge between him and them as well as his current interest. Naruto finished the rest of the liquid and poured more liqueur into his glass. He felt as if he was going out of this mind. Relationships with women were never this confusing and complicated. He never coped well with the latter emotions. He gulped the rest of the burning liquid down and instantly felt the world tilt. Shikamaru always told him that he was not a thinker and he should come to him if there was anything pressing on his mind. But it was so much harder done than said.

Maybe, he could just tell Sasuke to forget it all. It was an easy out. One that made his life less complicated. He chuckled at himself for being a walking hypocrisy. The walls of his home seemed too confining so he half-heartedly took a bath then went for a walk. He stumbled around for a bit still a bit tipsy. The blonde did not keep track of where he walked but he stopped when he realized he was at the edge of a body of water. Confused, he looked around. The familiar surroundings placed him at a park about a mile from his home. It was eerily quiet unlike how lively it was during the day. However this tranquility provided a blanket of comfort to his perturbed mind. He sat down on the damp grass and observed the black lake in front of him. Smiling as a light cold breeze shuffled the trees and created ripples on the water, he laid down on the grass to enjoy the full moon and few stars visible in the vast sky. This wasn't like him at all. The only time he became so broody was when he broke up with Sakura. After that, he promised himself that he would never let himself go like that again.

How long had it been since he left home? He patted his pants. No phone but he felt his keys. Did he lock up? Shit, was he that out of it? Oh well... He doubted that he would be so unlucky to get robbed the one night he failed to lock his door. Let this be a lesson to himself, that alcohol solved nothing. A lot more sober now, Naruto sat up. He wasn't ready to go home quite yet but he didn't want anyone to call the police on him should they pass and see a random dude rolling around on the ground. They would assume he was drunk, high or mentally unstable. Sadly, they wouldn't be too far from the truth. He wished he had his music with him but he settled for listening to the night sounds of crickets and rustling leaves. He will just let the chips fall where they may. The outcome will be dealt with as it happened. The peace outside reflected within him, making him a bit drowsy. Naruto threw his hoodie piece over his head and pulled the zipper up. He should leave soon.

Footsteps fell behind him. He would have ignored them but they only came closer. If the person approaching was a thief, he would be gravely disappointed by what he found. He coiled his muscles, tense to defend himself if need be. The presence just stopped directly behind him. When the latter did nothing, the blonde, confused, glanced behind him and spotted designer shoes under grey slacks. Of course, why should he be surprised? These meetings were becoming too frequent for him to be surprised every time.

"Stand any longer in this uncivilized bush and you will be forced to weep over your expensive leather being ruined," Naruto quipped sarcastically.

"Hn." Sasuke stepped beside him then sat down.

Naruto let out an exaggerated gasp. "My god! Is the world ending? The king himself lowered his standards and sat next to a peasant such as me!"

"Dobe, be quiet," Sasuke mumbled in annoyance as he took out his pack of cigarettes and lit one.

Naruto ignored the insult, much too pleasantly surprised by the other's actions. "Seriously though, let's get up. I don't want to be the one responsible for ruining your clothes."

"Piss off. I just settled down to enjoy a smoke. Are you telling me to move now?"

Naruto shrugged. "It was just a suggestion."

Sasuke took a big pull on his cigar, slowly letting it out after a minute. He was used to feeling in control; however, he knew it was quite opposite with the idiotic blonde. Killing his instinct to fire questions at or command the other, he opted to quietly ask, "What are you doing out here?"

Cerulean eyes looked back to the lake, a humourless smile playing on his lips. "Thinking."

Obsidian eyes followed the other's line of sight and stared at the lake which resembled a sea of black ink. There was not much he could say to that so he continued smoking, waiting for his companion to elaborate. He was halfway through his cigarette when the blonde took a deep breath in preparation to speak.

"I was thinking that we should maybe stop whatever this is. I don't think we are very compatible. We rub each other the wrong way. Also, for me, I'm scared shitless that I might lose some friends over this." Naruto pulled his knees to his chest and grabbed his head. "I lost my parents when I was very young. Never even met them. My foster father, Iruka, was the only semblance of family I had. I would like to say that he provided for all my emotional needs and the attention I longed for. I'm not being ungrateful or anything when I say that he didn't... However, whatever gap I had was filled by the friends I have now. They are so important to me. They are like the brothers and sisters I never had. Might sound corny and stupid but that's how I feel even now. I've thought long and hard about it but I just come back to the same thing. So I came out here to clear my head."

Sasuke said nothing for a long time. Eventually, he stubbed his cigarette out on the grass. "Those are your only concerns?"

Naruto sharply turned his head, leveling a piercing glare at him. Sasuke continued before Naruto fierily responded to him. "From what you've told me, you want to keep the friends that you have. You think putting a name to whatever is between us would jeopardize that."

The younger of the two nodded slightly.

"You should probably just cut all contact with your friends now if you think the bond between you and them is so fickle and easily broken." Sasuke ran his hand through his head in irritation. This conversation was not one he liked but he knew to be in a relationship of any kind, communication was key. Why couldn't he just say, "Ok", get up and leave? Was the other worth the effort? He wanted him physically but he hated emotional baggage. For now, he will put up with it and decide later if he should just pack up shop and head to Nichoume for a simple lay.

Naruto made a strangled sound then put his head down on his arms surrounding his knees. "I know, I know. I tell myself that too. But there is this irrational fear that resurfaces every time I calm myself down. Change is a terrifying thing. It was only two weeks ago when the only thing I was worrying about was getting laid with a girl that was just above average but not overly so." Naruto looked at Sasuke's expression which clearly spoke his thoughts on how much he thought he was an idiot. It made him release a laugh. "Courting women is a tricky business."

"Coming from you, that doesn't sound reliable," Sasuke muttered.

"Hey, I'm always at the top of my game," Naruto boasted. "Back in my high school days every lady that set their eyes on me wanted me. However, I was taken. I could not bless the opposite gender with all this tanned goodness." He did a little gig.

Sasuke made a choking sound, quickly covered by a cough. The blonde grinned mischievously, moving closer to the other while wiggling his eyebrows.

"I made you laugh, didn't I?"

The raven gave Naruto a blank stare.

"Tch, you are no fun."

"Whatever you say, Mr. Tanned Goodness," the yakuza said so drily that Naruto almost took him seriously.

Naruto smiled serenely enjoying the breeze that played with his hair. "Guess I really needed someone to talk me out of my unfounded fears. Who would have thought that it would be you?"

The dark haired man shrugged, pulling a knee to his chest and propping a hand over it. This was the most relaxed he felt in ages.

"Ah, now that I think about it, I don't know your full name!"

"What a dobe."

"Come on, tell me."

"Hm, Sasuke Uchiha."

"Uchiha, huh," Naruto turned the name over in his head a few times. It suited him. "Mine is Naruto Uzumaki."

"I know, idiot."

The blonde pouted a bit. "No need to be so rude. It's common courtesy to introduce oneself properly when meeting someone new. Although, a lot of things happened before that could have happened."

"Heh," Sasuke sounded as he closed his eyes. This blondie was a master of understatements. 'A lot of things'. He was the only person so far that walked away from him alive after inflicting injuries upon him.

"How the heck did you find me?"

"Isn't it a bit late to be asking that?" the raven haired man raised a brow.

"Isn't it rude to answer a question with another question?" Naruto snapped mildly.

Sasuke sighed testily. "I had one of my men follow you."

Naruto felt the signs of anger creeping up on him. No, the mood was too good for him to ruin it. He threw himself back unto the grass and stared up at the stars for the second time that night. He let the scenery cox him into a peaceful trance.

"If we ever get past our differences and end up in a serious relationship, we have to have a lengthy discussion about boundaries," Naruto groaned as he shifted to his side making himself more comfortable.

"You can think that all you want," Sasuke murmured. He was compromising to his limit already. The other male needed to start some compromising of his own.

Naruto only sighed.

After a while, he remarked barely above a whisper. "It's surprising."

"What is?" Sasuke indulged him.

"We actually held a normal conversation. No angry outbursts, no cursing. It is the most civilized exchange since we met."

Sasuke smirked. "Might be one of the many few we may have."

"Don't jinx it already, bastard."

"I'm just being realistic. We both have stubborn traits... One more stubborn than the other," Naruto turned around and glared at him. "We are destined to have many fights. Some I'm looking forward to; others, not so much."

"What's a relationship if there are so many fights?" Naruto frowned.

"We'll have to see, won't we?" Uchiha leaned down and whispered sultrily in his ears, "And the make-up sex will be mind-blowing."

Naruto flushed a deep red much to the other's pleasure. He shot up so fast when Sasuke moved away that he swayed dizzily at the sudden blood rush to his head. The visible red on his face continued down his neck and was hidden by the zipper of hoodie. Immediately, he put up mental walls when he felt his thoughts slip into dangerous waters. The image of Sasuke and him in coital bliss almost made him give in then and there. What was stopping him? He knew that the older male was willing to try for more than just a physical relationship. But again, fear of the unknown kept him standing firmly in his spot.

"No need to be so cautious. We haven't given a name to 'whatever the fuck this is'; so you could relax. There are no obligations to be met as of yet." Sasuke said smoothly as he stood at a more leisurely pace.

Shit, why was he acting like a virgin? Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself down.

"Sasuke, I am attracted to you physically. God, sometimes it's hard to even string a sensible sentence together if I'm looking directly at you. I have to force myself into thinking that you're one of my slobbish bros to keep myself from being turned on whenever you are near. I'm telling you this because that's how much I want you. But I don't want to plunge over the deep end without a lifeline. I said it before but I'm repeating it now to make myself clear. I want there to be an emotional connection too. I want to know you: who you are, your wants, the things that drive you, everything. If that scares you as much as it does me, then we can put an end to it now. Damn, it's so much easier to do so. This 'whatever it is' is up to you as much as it is up to me."

Naruto shoved his shaking hands into the front of this hoodie's pocket and released a weak laugh. He felt a hell of a lot more nervous than he did when he confessed to his first love.

The yakuza looked to the side, contemplation written on his face. He didn't want to admit it but he was also afraid to let anyone in. It would be a source of weakness that he could not afford to have. And yet, how refreshing would it be to have someone to share everything with; all the happy, depressing, angry and shitty times.

"Food for thought," the blonde interrupted the uncomfortable silence. "We both have a lot to think about. Give me an answer when you are ready. I would give you my number but you already have it." He smirked, gave a two-finger salute then turned to leave.

"Wait," Sasuke commanded.

"What is it?" Naruto asked wittily, more than ready for a run to soothe his nerves.

"I will drop you home. It's already past midnight."

"Sasuke, can we not have another conversation like this," Naruto said dismissively.

"You know, for someone who talks a lot about respect, compromise and boundaries you don't give two fucks about what I say when it's convenient for you to ignore. When I called earlier and ordered you to get ready to go out, I reflected and realized it was inappropriate to do. So I let go of my anger and decided I would meet you halfway. Compromise. I tell you that I would drop you home because it's a bit late for you to be running around like a lost chicken. You also shoot my suggestion down. This time it's a reasonable request. Where is the compromise that you so fucking love to talk about?"

Naruto ground his teeth together but didn't respond right away. Even he could smell his own raging bullshit.

"Lead the way, King of Compromise," Naruto said sarcastically.

"Don't fucking sass me," the taller man lazily snapped. He strolled ahead.

"Whoa!" Naruto gasped out loud.

"What?"

"The back of your pants is wet and have grass stains on it," Naruto chuckled.

"I'm sure it's quite similar to how yours look right now," Sasuke murmured.

"Yeah but it's so odd seeing any imperfections on you," the blond replied. He paused before absentmindedly brushing some stray grass off the material.

Sasuke stopped. Looking up into his face, he didn't recognize the expression he was wearing.

"What?" Naruto asked, a bit confused.

"Nothing. Just get into the car," the raven ordered as he opened the vehicle.

A Porsche Boxster S Black Edition sat stately on the curb. Naruto's eyes went wide as he gushed over the masterpiece of a sports car. Running up to the vehicle, he made big gestures and grunting noises. Clearly, words were failing him. He was scared to put his unworthy fingers on the car lest he left smudges unbefitting of his new goddess.

"Get in the fucking car," Sasuke raised his voice minimally from behind the wheel still amused at Naruto's odd antics.

Naruto practically skipped to the passenger's side of the car and carefully opened the door. He wanted to touch the exterior as little as possible. When he finally slipped into the comfy leather seat, he babbled and drooled over the wooden designs on the car doors and dashboard. He played with every button that he could reach while strapped to the chair. So exhilarated was he that he didn't even care that Sasuke knew where he lived. He was so much happier that the man was allowing him to play with his baby now turned his goddess.

When the ebony haired man pulled up to the front of his apartment and literally pulled him out of the car, he began to feel embarrassed about his behaviour. Still, the purr of the engine and the sound of the gear stick as it shifted gears swarmed into his mind again. Even the smell was unique. The only word that came to mind to describe the smell was 'expensive'. All of it turned him on. And damn, Sasuke was a sexy sight operating a manual vehicle. Okay, now was not the time to be getting any type of turned on when there was a walking sex-oozing Adonis a few feet from him. He didn't think his control would be rock solid if the yakuza decided to do a 'come hither' gesture and take him to bed.

Doing an awkward, shuffle/ run towards the steps of his apartment building he threw a hasty "Thanks for the ride and if you ever come to pick me up again, don't come with that car," behind him before dodging into his place.

Sasuke shook his head as he left. A blonde enigma indeed whose emotions were erratic as ever.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

Avoiding was never the solution to any problem. In fact, the problem only worsens because of it. That problem for Naruto sat in his small living /dining room calmly sipping some oolong tea. Naruto nervously played with the box of tea bags behind the protection of the kitchen counter. This was not the first time his best friend showed up to his door step late on a random evening demanding to know 'what is heaven's name was his problem'. He didn't use those words exactly; they were a lot more colourful and creative. Thing was, the blonde knew he was wrong in avoiding Shikamaru totally and had planned to rectify the matter tonight, ironically. So the bleak Friday, that had started so uneventful, ended with his passively aggressive best friend sporting a foul mood in his house.

When Naruto could not tolerate the silent treatment anymore, he started his apology for the third time, "Man, I'm sorry for blanking your calls. I was really busy at work and I had some really life-changing things going on. You know me, I'm not good at communicating when I'm going through a rough patch. I know it's no excuse for watching the million and one calls I got from you and ignoring it; but believe me, I was gonna explain it all today."

"You consider me your best friend, right?" the brunette asked curtly.

"Of course!"

"Then why am I always the last to know that you went through a 'rough patch' or having some kind of problem that I could have helped with?" Shikamaru set his mug on the low table and looked directly at Naruto. "I know that is the way you are. Hell, it's been that way forever. But doesn't over ten years of friendship give me a right to at least get a response if I call or message you? I'm tired of always wondering if the worst happened to you or you are in a ditch somewhere. With your abrasive personality, it's not that far-fetched."

"Yeah, I know." Naruto stared at his hands. Guilt reflected in his eyes. Shutting everyone out was his conditioned response for dealing with personal problems. He felt that he had to manage them on his own and not burden anyone else with it.

Shikamaru released a heavy sigh, "I am pissed at you but I didn't come to fight. If talking about Thursday was a taboo topic, then just tell me. You can. Do I force you into telling me your secrets?"

Naruto frowned. He was feeling worse and worse. "No," he mumbled.

"Ok, sit down let's talk. Travelling is brutal, man. I brought my work with me so I'm staying for a few days." The brunette patted a stuffed duffel bag at his feet.

"You just do whatever you want, huh," the blond commented drily.

"I learned it from you,"

Naruto chuckled, the mood instantly lightening. He dropped himself in the couch opposite Shikamaru. It had been a long week. He had finally gotten up-to-date with writing up and reviewing the previous months' financial and sales statistical reports of the company. In between all that, he struggled to cope with the random visits and calls of one sexy yakuza. The boundaries of their relationship were still very vague and he battled in his mind constantly over what was appropriate to do or talk about whenever they met. They had fallen into a comfortable routine of light banter and the occasional slip into personal topics. Admittedly though, he was becoming more relaxed at the idea of forming a bond with the other. The scenarios in his mind became tamer and he felt that he would be able to tell his best friend about it at least.

Gazing intently at the ground. Naruto just decided to take the blunt route, "I'm thinking about dating a man."

A wisp of air left the brunette's mouth and azure eyes looked up to study the other's face. The staggering burden he had born on his shoulders dissipated a bit when he caught the blasé expression.

"Was that so hard to tell me?"

"You knew?"

"No."

"Then why aren't you… I don't know… freaking out?" Naruto ran his hand through his hair, a habit he did very often recently.

"Uzumaki, I've accepted everything about you. We've been through some pretty heavy stuff in the past. Nothing surprises me anymore. If you were struggling with your sexual preferences, then you could have talked to me about it instead of blowing me off. Being gay is not gonna chase me off. We've been through too much for something so… insignificant to end our friendship. For better or for worse, right?"

A flashback to an incident in college, where his rage had put him in a very bad position, came. It was a secret only between Shika and him. His best friend had taken care of everything, repeating those very same words. Naruto laughed at his own insecurities.

Emotional, he covered his watery eyes with his hand. "Of course…"

The programmer stood and took down the tequila from the alcoholic beverages cupboard. He filled two glasses. Taking a sip of his, he handed the blond the other cup.

"We've got to stop turning to alcohol for everything," despite what he said, Naruto took a big gulp of the tequila. He beat his feelings back into control.

"Sometimes, it is a necessary evil. I can't deal with an emotional you sober. Too troublesome."

"You're such an asshole," Naruto laughed.

"Yeah, yeah." Shikamaru resettled himself on the couch. "So, who is this guy? Was it the guy who you were having the intense conversation with on Thursday at the charity dinner?"

Naruto grinned. He was actually excited now to have someone other than himself to talk about Sasuke. "Yeah. I practically hightailed it out of there when I suspected that I was the hot topic of the stupid event. Again, sorry for not coming to greet you." The brunette nodded, accepting the apology and urging him to continue. "The guy is the king of all assholes. He's a stubborn bastard with no knowledge about other's boundaries except his own. He is so quick to get angry and is emotionally challenged. Oddly enough, they all add to his charm. It's still taking me some time to get used to it but I find it almost endearing to a certain degree. To be honest, even I am baffled at my poor tastes."

His bestie polished off the alcohol is his glass and set it down. Naruto's to-be partner sounded ten times more troublesome than his threshold tolerance. Of course, the blonde had to find the most bothersome person on the planet to make into a love interest. "What attracted you in the first place?"

"Hehe, his looks," the blonde's carefree attitude and wide grin almost made Shikamaru smack him upside the head.

"I see… How did you meet?"

"Uhh, that's a story for another day. In fact, I'm not giving you any details unless it is a certainty that we are going to be an item."

"Are you sure about this?"

"A week ago I would have said no. After all, I was still fishing for girls like usual that day we went partying. I didn't want anything too serious. You know that. I've been avoiding serious relationships because I still somehow thought that Sakura and I could get back together." The brunette took a breath to interject but Naruto cut him off. "I know. That ship has sailed. When I met 'the bastard', it shook something in me that I had almost forgotten. I admit, we had some pretty bad falling outs but beneath it all, I think together we could be a pretty awesome pair. Last weekend, we had a serious but normal conversation. It was the first for us because we always end up fighting. I told him that if I was gonna explore my gay side, I wanted more than just the physical aspect. Unexpectedly, he didn't tell me to fuck off. So right now we are in limbo; the relationship is still waiting for us to define it. It terrifies me 'cause every time we interact, I can feel a little bit of myself being given to him. It's not love as yet but it's so damn close."

Naruto stopped his unconscious act of twisting the glass in his hands and fell into deep thought. Everything he said was true. Deep down he knew it but saying it out loud made it so much realer.

"What's holding you back from taking the final step?" Shikamaru leaned back, focusing his full attention on the male in front of him.

"Actually, he is. I'm waiting for him to take the initiative. I don't want to force the issue and later on we break up on his excuse that he never signed up for the sloppy mess of feelings that will undoubtedly arise."

"Naruto, do you have to pursue a relationship like this? It sounds so complicated." Shikamaru asked, worried for his friend's well-being.

"All serious relationships are."

"Yeah but for your first –for lack of a better word- homosexual relationship, couldn't you have chosen someone less complex?"

"Hahaha, I wish it were that simple. He's the only guy I feel attracted to in that way. If it's not him, then it's best that I pursue a girl and the cookie-cutter family life."

"I see. Then the only advice I can give you is make sure you do things in a way that you will not regret later down this road."

"That is a no brainer," Naruto grinned.

"Should you ever need someone to fall back on, I'm always available. Stop forgetting that," Shikamaru said firmly.

"Old habits die hard but yeah. I'll remember."

"Good let's lighten up this mood with some food," the brunette stretched as he raised himself from the seat.

"Now you are talking my language."

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

"Is the plan set?" the Leader said, as he dragged disinterested eyes over his subordinates.

"Yes, sir. We are ready to execute it whenever you give the order."

"Excellent," the pasty man hissed with a nasty smirk. "You are dismissed for now."

As the door slammed shut, the pale male took out a folder and reverently pulled out the photo of the man he worshipped to an extreme extent. He gazed at the picture of the man who even on paper, commanded authority and respect in his upright and haughty posture. His aristocratic features held a mild disdain for everything and it turned the admirer on unbearably. He shifted on the seat to alleviate the pressure in the front of his pants.

"Soon, my dear, soon," he licked the picture in rapturous joy. He began whispering sweet nothings to his future lover. The Kimikaze group wouldn't know what hit them the moment his plans began their devastating roll.


	9. Disaster (1)

**Chapter Eight**

"My plans for tonight?" Naruto repeated as he shuffled some papers into a pile on his desk. It was another dreary Monday and the blonde had a meeting to attend in an hour. Some corporate partners were coming together to review some high end products and Kakashi needed him present. "My, aren't you being pleasant for a change."

"Tch."

Naruto muffled his laugh. "No need to get all testy. I was just teasing."

"Your answer?"

"There are no plans, honey," the blonde's tone was falsely sweet.

Almost three weeks had passed since Shikamaru and Naruto's little heart-to-heart. The yakuza and he continued their odd interactions. They took everything slowly. Sasuke was puzzled how he had not become fed up with the snail pace. There were many instances where the sexual tension was overbearing but there was some unspoken rule that that was not a line they would cross until they officially became a couple. If Uchiha was honest with himself, he would admit that he enjoyed the other's company as much as the latter seemed to. As such, he found himself calling the blonde every time he had a bit of time to go to dinner or just meet. It was not that he had a lot of free time but he worked twice as hard to ensure that his schedule had at least two evenings in the week free.

"We're going out tonight at eight." Sasuke said crisply.

'Compromise,' Naruto told himself. "To another high class restaurant? I'm sick of those."

The older male released a sigh. He was getting soft. "What do you want?"

"How about I take you to a place I like. It's cheap tasty food. And the serving sizes are much bigger."

Naruto could imagine the raven's face twisted in disgust at the word 'cheap'.

"Oh, come on. I've sampled your taste in food. Not too impressed. All those small servings of French dishes sprinkled with caviar leaves much to be desired."

The low chuckle over the line awakened the butterflies sleeping in his stomach. "Your peasant tongue just cannot appreciate the exquisite taste of fine cuisine."

"Yeah, yeah. You don't have to sing your praises about _Blanquette de Veau_ and _Pot-au-feu_ or _Pan-seared Foie Gras_ dishes again. I've tried them. Forgive me if I can't see what so good about a slab of meat only covered in sauce on a plate. It's not filling and if a meal cannot fill someone, it's unfit to call it as such."

"You're like a black hole. We had a three course meal. You still wasn't full?"

"You're missing the point. Tonight is my turn to introduce you to some good ole traditional Japanese food. Cancel whatever reservations you had."

"No-," the other stubbornly started but the blonde cut him off.

"If you do, you can take me where ever you want next time. No complaints."

The raven haired man paused then said, "At eight then. Be ready." Then, he hung up.

Naruto smiled softly at the phone for a minute before tucking it into his pocket. Every day, his thoughts were filled with Sasuke. With the time spent together, he was now able to read his emotions clearly. His expressionless face had various degrees. The tilt of an eyebrow, the motion and glint in his eyes, a twitch in his straight pale lips- they all greatly displayed his feelings. He was just so surprised that no one else could see it. When he was angry or annoyed, his eyebrows created deep furrows in his forehead and Naruto fought the increasing urge to massage or kiss it away. Fuck, he was getting cornier and cornier as the days passed. What was the point of denying it? He was L-struck. It was harder and harder to keep his hands to himself. He wanted to touch every part of that gorgeously ripped pale body. Every woman he saw now paled greatly in comparison. He wanted all that the other had to offer. To keep himself in check, he avoided going to any private area with him. In public, he had many distractions to keep him from outrightly propositioning the dark man.

Shaking his head, he put his thoughts in the back of his mind. For now, he had work to do.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

"Do you even have anything casual in your closet?" Naruto said.

"Don't make a fuss. I took off my jacket, didn't I?" Sasuke settled into the wooden seat, dominating the attention of the present customers. Most of them were old patrons or high-schoolers enamoured with the tasty menu. The shop sat in a remote corner of Sakai and the wooden furniture gave off the feeling of homeliness.

"Maybe next I need to take you shopping and show you what us, commoners, wear on a regular basis," Naruto quipped, ignoring the unwanted stares.

"Heh, that might be interesting." Obsidian eyes raked suggestively over his exposed collar bone then downwards with a smirk playing at his lips.

Naruto copied the other's smirk. "We don't need to go shopping for you to see me without my clothes." His voice was barely a whisper. The shop was small so if they were not careful, they could easily be overheard.

"Oh? Then where will we need to go?"

"That's up to you, isn't it?" He muttered a thanks as a waiter placed two glasses of water in front both of them. He picked up a straw on the table and placed it in the cup. Slowly, he dipped his head, flicked his tongue along the plastic tube before exaggeratingly wrapping his lips around the top. He locked half-lidded eyes with black ones for only a second as he suctioned some water into his mouth.

Almost as if the moment had not happened, Naruto sat up and called to the chief, "Pops, give me two servings each of udon, yakitori and tofu."

"Coming right up!" the middle aged man shouted back.

"You can't do that," Sasuke uttered quietly as if it were the calm before the storm. The huskiness in his voice was a bit more pronounced.

The blonde disregarded the goosebumps on his arms and innocently responded, "Do what?" This was another game he found he enjoyed playing to no end. It made the yakuza disgruntled.

The older man just shifted his attention to the window next to them. Naruto knew when to leave him to his own thoughts so he focused on the messages on his cell as he waited for the food to arrive.

Kiba had sent him a message about how he had scored big time in one of the clubs he frequented and now had a talented sex friend. How did Kiba have so much free time as a veterinarian? Shaking his head, he sent a quick reply telling him to be sure that he used protection. It would be quite awkward if he had to visit Neji if he unluckily managed to get the clap.

His pink haired friend/ ex-girlfriend had sent him an invitation to a cultural event/exhibition hosted by the clubs at her university. Since she was the advisor to the paranormal club, she felt much inclined to invite as much people as possible to see her students' hard work. What a weirdo. 'I'll think about it,' Naruto texted back.

Plates were set down on their table and the delicious scent of meat and seasonings made his mouth water. He looked up at his companion.

"Can you deny the goodness of this? Just the smell alone can whet the appetite. There's no need for an appetizer at all," Naruto blabbered as he excitedly separated his chopsticks, picked up some udon and dipped it in some soy sauce.

Sasuke only raised his left brow and dug into the food. The blonde waited, with the portion of udon halfway to his lips, for the other male to take the first bite into his meal. The raven sampled the yakitori first and released the tiniest groan of pleasure.

Naruto's grin widened much to Sasuke's annoyance. "Good, right?"

Not wanting to admit that anything that came out of the dobe's mouth was right, he commented on his stupidity instead. "Can't even eat like a decent human being, huh. You're dripping sauce all over yourself."

"Ah, damn!" the secretary exclaimed as he grabbed at some napkins and dabbed uselessly at the stains on his white t-shirt and jeans. He shoved the udon into his mouth, taking note of the small sardonic smile on the other's lips.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you."

"You expect me not to? I'll bring a bib with me next time."

"Haha, so funny," Naruto said dryly.

They passed the rest of dinner in relatively companionable silence. The blonde rubbed his full belly in satisfaction as he exited the small restaurant. He peeked at the raven from the corner of his eyes who seemed to be overly broody. He suspected it had to do with him insisting that he paid the bill. It almost got into a big fight but Naruto quickly reminded him of their deal to both compromise. That settled the other's argument. Really, it was odd how the other seemed to be willing to listen to what he had to say. He was surprised that Sasuke was not overbearingly forceful in his demands as he was when they first met. Maybe this was a sign they he wanted this to work as much as he did. In any case, it was a pleasant change that he hoped would be long-lasting.

It was late October and the nights only got colder. Naruto shoved his cold hands into his pockets, wishing he had worn his midnight blue scarf.

"What do you want to do now?" blue eyes stared enquiringly at Sasuke.

"Whatever you want. I don't have much experience in this…" the raven said, letting the vagueness of their companionship hang heavily in the open.

"A walk then," Naruto turned and strolled through the tranquil neighbourhood. He often wondered why he decided to live in such a place that was so far from friends and family. Admittedly, he most likely did it randomly without any deep thought put into it. Now he felt a deep connection to the area. As they walked up a hill, he spotted the vast ocean just over the horizon. He loved the scent of the sea on the wind. Whenever he wanted to think, a body of water always seemed to calm him down. Sakai, with its close proximity to the Osaka bay, was ideal.

"The night is my favorite time of the day," The younger male commented absentmindedly.

"Mine, as well," Sasuke responded.

"Well, I can guess why," Naruto said playfully. He led them to a bench overlooking the city on the apex of the hill.

They sat down enjoying the serenity of the atmosphere.

"It's not just because of what I do," the other said, surprisingly picking up the topic Naruto thought he would let drop. Rarely did Sasuke talk about himself but when he did, the blonde latched onto his every word like a leech. "Nights have a way of dulling reality… an escape. Sometimes it feels as if time has stopped and the shit going around me is not my problem at all. It's the only moment I get to slack off when I'm not working. Sometimes I think sleeping is a waste of such a precious time."

Naruto closed his eyes. He could envision what Sasuke meant; how he valued his own company and the safety of only his thoughts when the darkness arrived and he got the rare chance to just… be.

"When did you decide that you wanted to join the yakuza?"

"No one decides that they would suddenly join a clan just for the heck of it. At least, that goes for the outside folk who weren't born into it. Circumstances led me to where I am now. I don't regret one moment of it though. Life is too short to ponder and agonize over whether you made the right choice or not."

"True." Naruto took in a deep breath. "I live by that motto too. No regrets. I guess 'yolo' really suits us."

"Don't use that fucking term to describe me. I get pissed off every time I hear it because teeny weenies use it continuously as an excuse to do dumb shit. Some of which I had to personally clean up."

The blonde released a hearty laugh. "Oh, I might be guilty of that."

"I wouldn't be surprised," Sasuke lightly scoffed.

"My, you don't seem to have a very high opinion of me."

"Hn."

The yakuza shifted closer to the blue-eyed man. Naruto's heart beat staggered. He turned to meet intense dark orbs. The temperature increased by a few degrees. The blonde resisted the urge to break eye contact. He wanted this even if he felt a little out of his element. He was used to being the one courting women, giving suggestive gestures and coxing the female. Being on the other end of it made him feel weird. Not in bad way, though. Sasuke did the special smirk that spurred the butterflies in his stomach to action. Fuck damn, he was too striking. Cerulean eyes dropped to pale inviting lips. It was so tempting! He was craving to caress those cheek bones. Ok, he longed for a lot more than that but for now, he was contented with just that.

'No regrets, huh,' Naruto thought. He cupped his cold hand against the side of Sasuke's face before going in for the plunge. It was as if imaginary fireworks exploded in his head when his lips met the other. Immediately, he melted when the other dominated him and thoroughly claimed his lips. The shorter man released a groan as he was pulled into Sasuke's lap. Straddling the other, he was in a better position to deepen the kiss. Naruto actively opened his mouth and let the other's tongue entwine with his. He shivered at the contact. Sasuke's taste was so heady. He playfully sucked the appendage as he grind himself against the raven unconsciously. The heat was scorching. He wrapped his hands around the yakuza's neck and ran his fingers through soft dark tresses. Shifting the angle, he deepened the kiss more with a longing moan. Shit, he felt fucking horny.

He felt hands seducing him, raising his internal fire higher yet as it caressed his sides and teasingly stopped at his lower back. Naruto abruptly separated from the raven's mouth, a trail of saliva following. Panting hard, he turned his attention to tasting the very skin he craved. He trailed soft kisses along the pale neck then experimentally dragging his tongue over the path he had created. Skin shouldn't have a taste but Sasuke's tasted like rich wine and something earthy. He released another pleasured sound as he bit the skin before him as he ground his erection into the other's stomach. Rational thoughts flew out his head. He wanted to fuck then and there. He continued marking the neck before him, becoming more aware of the hardness poking him from below.

He locked gazes with obsidian eyes. Blatant arousal was reflected there and Naruto felt an irrational sense of pride that he was responsible for that. Smiling coyly, he shifted his weight downwards, undulating his hips. He watched, fascinated, as Sasuke took in a quick breath. The latter was fighting to school his features but he saw the desire and it encouraged him. The yakuza suddenly grabbed his ass firmly in one hand and with the other dragged the blonde's lips back to his. Time passed as they explored each other's mouths. It was not an act they seemed to tire of.

Getting a hold of Sasuke's bottom lip with his teeth, Naruto thrust downwards. He was practically dry-humping the other's cock. Hands snaked down the raven's neck and over firm pecs and an even harder stomach. How did Naruto feel about this change? Not one fucking thing. In fact, he was ready to rip the shirt open to get a real feel of those muscles. Sweat dripped down his neck and spine as he continued to move vigorously against Sasuke. He was close. He leaned backwards to get a better angle to thrust however the other male leaned forward, attaching his lips to his collarbone.

"S-sas'ke," raspily breathed out. His actions became more frantic. He felt Sasuke's grip on his behind become tighter as he thrust upwards. Then, he saw white as his pleasure hit its climax. He felt the ebony-haired man stiffen and heavy puffs of air against his neck. He felt boneless as he came down from his high and the raven's tight grip on him prevented him from falling over. Shaky breaths were heard over his zoning out phase and he realized that it wasn't only him struggling to get their heavy panting under control. They had both orgasmed.

A shocked gasp made Naruto snap his head in the direction of a businesswoman, getting the surprise of a lifetime seeing two guys draped over each other. With their dishevelled appearance, it was not difficult to hide their misdeed. The woman swiftly did a roundabout turn and sped off in the opposite direction. Shit, he had just participated in the act of voyeurism. Doing anything sexual in public was not his cup of tea and he never had any intentions of doing so. Even holding hands in public, was an act done in reluctance. What was this man doing to him?

He made to get off Sasuke's lap but his hold kept him in place.

"Sasuke, let go." Anger started to creep into his voice. He was angrier at himself but he felt it felt easier to displace his emotions instead of facing up to it.

"Why are you getting upset?"

He frowned deeply. What mature response could he give that didn't make him sound as if he was nit-picking? He didn't like the feeling of losing control so easily. The seriousness of their act weighed laboriously on his mind. They weren't even seriously dating. He hated thinking so much. Sasuke leaned forward and pressed his lips to his forehead. In astonishment, Naruto forgot about his anger due to the foreign intimate action.

"Frowning doesn't suit you."

"Kissing foreheads doesn't suit you as well," the blonde said and pressed his forehead against the other's. "Isn't it time we gave a name to this?"

"Ah right, 'whatever the fuck this is'."

"Can you stop repeating that?"

"Repeating what, Mr. Tan Goodness? I'm only reusing your words. There is no crime in that."

Naruto chuckled. "You're an asshole through and through."

"Well that's now something you have to deal with now and every day, for the foreseeable future."

The meaning behind those words struck him deeply. He studied the eyes before him and felt indescribable relief as his thoughts were reaffirmed there.

"I'll try to manage," Naruto gave him a grin so wide that it forced his eyes closed.

Sasuke ignored the extra thump in his chest at the sight. He wanted to kiss the man all over again. He had done a lot of thinking on his own. He often asked himself if he was up for a relationship which he had avoided since he learned what the word meant. It was too late to be worrying about whether he made the accurate decision. His emotions were already invested in this relationship whether he liked it or not. As such, he would make the most out of it. From what he learnt of Naruto so far, he was worth it.

"Come on, let's get you home."

"Ah, yeah." The blonde stood and maneuvered himself off the man's lap. He pointedly ignored the uncomfortable wetness in his underwear. Glancing at his lover's crotch, the stain was noticeable on the soft material. However, there was not one shred of shame as the man got up gracefully then strolled casually towards where they had parked. Naruto shook his head in amusement. Sasuke had a huge pair of balls, figuratively… and maybe even literally? That he would have to find out really soon.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

Naruto was on cloud nine. He found himself lapsing into a corny smile at random moments as he worked. He did it so often that Kakashi had worriedly asked him if everything was all right at one point. Damn, it was hard keeping his thoughts off his face. He had the sexy yakuza as his. He didn't think his happiness amounted to the same level as when he finally began to date Sakura. Only a day had passed since he had last seen Sasuke but he was obsessing over seeing him again soon. Shit, he was a goner. Yeah, it was the honeymoon period and the novelty of it will wear off but he planned to enjoy it all the same. With a pep in his step at Wednesday noon, he entered Kakashi's office.

"In thirty minutes, you have a luncheon with the CEO of Arima's Medical Institute. At three, you need to visit Mr. Takenashi for review of the contract. I've cancelled the rest of items on your schedule as you've requested."

"You should have cancelled the one with Takenashi too," his boss pouted.

"That contract is much more important than your date," Naruto immediately shot back. "You can't afford to risk not securing it. Work your magic and finish it as quickly as possible."

Kakashi dragged his hand down his face. "That's not possible. The guy thinks every meeting is an occasion to drink," he whined.

"Not my problem." The secretary said as he left. "You have to leave now if you want to make it on time for that luncheon."

Naruto settled at his desk and began typing up some letters. When five minutes passed and his boss did not leave the office, he went back in to drag him out. Shoving, his briefcase into his arms, he basically kicked him out of the room. With a sigh, he fell back into the dreariness of letter typing and spell-checking some documents.

His phone rang and he answered it briskly.

"Naruto."

"Naru! Tell me you are coming to the event tomorrow," a bubbly voice said.

Oh right, the cultural event at Shimiya University on Thursday that was mentioned in a previous text. "Sakura." Naruto paused then put as much regret into his voice as he could and continued. "Oh shucks, man. I can't make it. I have work and a shit load of things to do."

"Don't fucking lie," the pink-haired girl responded heatedly. "Shikamaru already told me that you're taking a bank day tomorrow."

'Wtf, Shika?!' Naruto shouted mentally. How could he have betrayed him like that?

Weakly Naruto laughed. "Heh, you found out, huh."

"Neji, Kiba, Shino and Hinata have already ditched me so you have to come," Sakura said firmly, leaving no room for protest. "I want you to reach for eleven in the morning. Don't forget or reach late. And don't think you would get away easily for lying to me a second time."

The blonde crouched down into his seat, intimidated by the volatile professor. "Yes, ma'am." The one person he could never win against was his hot-headed ex now close friend. They broke off on good terms obviously.

"Good. You could liaise with Shikamaru about travel arrangements once you get to Tokyo."

"Will do," Naruto answered weakly.

"Hmph. See you tomorrow," Sakura ended in a sugary tone.

The blonde hung up with a weary sigh. So troublesome. He paused his work to look up cheap flights to Tokyo from Osaka. Luckily he found and booked a two way flight to the place. The departure flight was at eight in the morning. He chose a return flight for nine at night. Damn, these travels were putting a huge dent in his bank account. Why couldn't Kiba go? If he had to suffer so did he. He sent a quick text to him. He half had the mind to call up Neji and Shino and take it out on them but decided against it. The aloof doctor would probably make him feel like a gigantic idiot as well as a lesser being and he probably wouldn't understand anything Shino say if he went off on a tangent about his bug studies. Scratching the back of his head, he wondered how these weirdos became his friends. It was such an oddity.

Chuckling, he refocused on his tasks.

At six in the evening, Naruto was at home multi-tasking between cooking some mac and cheese and watching a football match between Barca and Man U. He burnt himself a couple of times when particularly intense moments occurred when Barca almost scored a goal. Somehow, he completed the food, sitting down to eat it with the game. At an exciting part, his phone began to ring. He ignored it. He breathed a sigh of relief when Alves expertly handled the offense close to his net and treaded the ball out of their defense zone. He passed it to Messi.

"Come on!" Naruto shouted at the television as the player lost the ball.

His phone rang again. Frustrated at the players on the screen, the blonde answered his phone.

"Naruto, here."

"Dobe, answer your phone the first time I call."

"Heh, sorry. I was a bit busy." Naruto switched off the television. "What's up?"

"Let's meet up tomorrow. That's the only free day I will have for a while."

"Damn, I can't. My friend is having some event at her university and she forced me to go. I already booked the flight."

Sasuke clicked his tongue, irritated.

"Let's not allow emotions to run wild."

The yakuza chuckled. "Speaking about wild… You're quite uncontrollable once you let loose."

Naruto coughed, glad the other could not see the blush on his face. "Don't go off-topic."

"Of course. I would always want you **on** my c-."

"Fuck, Uchiha. Let's not start down that road."

"I don't understand."

"Stop acting as if you're stupid."

"If you don't say it clearly, I wouldn't understand."

"For now, talking about sex over the phone is forbidden."

Sasuke hummed. "Is it now? That's an unreasonable request."

"We were talking about why we can't see each other for a while after tomorrow." Naruto ignored what he said.

"Hmm. Something came up that I have to focus my full attention on. I don't know when I would be able to finish up but I want to keep you out of it as much as possible."

Naruto tried to calm the bad vibes that were echoing in his mind. "Please tell me that it's nothing too dangerous."

"It's nothing I can't handle."

He didn't give him a straight answer. Naruto clenched his free hand into a tight fist. He was aware that the other was involved in the underworld but it didn't feel real until now. He felt nervous but Sasuke oozed competence. Nothing until now indicated that his words were flaky and untrue. So, he would trust that.

"Okay. All right." The blonde said somewhat subdued.

"It's a really minor problem," Sasuke did a poor job of convincing his partner. When all he got as an answer was a quiet ok, he asked, "Where are you going tomorrow?"

"Tokyo. Shimiya University."

"Will you be there the entire day?"

"Yeah, pretty much. I'll probably reach back around ten/eleven."

"I see. I will pick you up from the airport then."

"No, it's fine."

"Uzumaki."

"Urgh, yeah ok. That will be fine. Sorry, I'm just a little out of it."

"Is it about what I said? Are you worrying unnecessarily?"

"I don't know. I'm… I knew who you were when I agreed to date you. I try to imagine the worst so that I would be prepared for anything that happens. But… it's still… I," Naruto took a deep breath. He was a man. Men were taught from early that they had to control their feelings. They should be capable of handling anything with a clear mind. That's what he would do. He will not become a burden. "I'll be fine. Just keep safe. I'll throw a message or two your way. Be sure to respond when you get the time."

"I'm coming over."

"Wait now?"

"Yeah."

Naruto spluttered, words difficult to come to mind. "Wait just a damn minute. Uh, now's not a good time. I still need to pack and I need to wake up early tomorrow."

"Are you telling me no?"

The blonde deflated like a balloon. "No."

"Ok, see you in a while."

Sasuke hung up. He was glad for an excuse to get away from writing and signing endless papers. On the other hand, Naruto was mildly freaking out. He was not ready for inviting his lover over. His apartment was relatively clean. However, he liked for it to be spick and span for special persons. Hurriedly, he began washing his dirty wares, sweeping the place and wiping everywhere with his lime-scented disinfectant. After that, he rushed to the bathroom and began scrubbing the tiles and toilet bowl. He wiped down everywhere. He wasn't satisfied with the rushed job but as he looked at the clock, he realized he didn't have much more time to spend going over everything with a tooth brush. Should he mop? No, it would not dry in time and it might make him look as if he were a cleaning freak. Jumping in the shower, he took his time with scrubbing everywhere clean. He couldn't be too careful, right?

Following his redressing into a comfy track pants with draw strings and a long-sleeve sweater, he changed his yellow bed sheets into a plain grey. He spread out the grey comforter that went with the set. The curtains were blue so it didn't really need changing. He ensured that all his clothes were hung neatly or folded in his draws. Just as he was going to re-arrange all the toiletries on his dresser the doorbell rang. Glancing around one more time, he went to answer the door.

There Sasuke stood no less handsome in a t-shirt and soft pants than in Armani suits or Hugo Boss watches and shoes. Well, a t-shirt was a bit of an understatement but he didn't focus on that. A smile naturally came to him lips as he met obsidian eyes outlined by full lengthy lashes.

"Come in."

"Hn," Sasuke intonated flatly.

Naruto closed the door behind him. Maybe he should offer him a drink? As soon as he turned around, lips descended upon his. Ruled by his own carnal desire, Naruto instantly wrapped his arms around the other's neck and returned the kiss. This one was not the rough, frantic ones that they shared before. It was unrushed, sexier and awoke every need within the blonde. Fuck, Sasuke was a good kisser. Uncontrollable shivers ran through his body. The lips above his sensually sucked, pulled and tasted his until he was weak in the knees. His dick pulsated in his pants at attention. Unconsciously, he had closed his eyes so he opened them. A moan escaped him when he met eyes that simmered almost red with desire. With great difficulty, he pulled himself away.

"Sasuke, we can't have sex tonight. I have to wake up early tomor-," Naruto released a breathy gasp as a large hand ran over his clothed erection.

"Yeah, that's fine." Sasuke murmured as he trailed hot kisses along the blonde's jaw. Then, he firmly gripped Naruto's cock, making his knees buckle. The smaller man hissed as he tried to will strength back into his legs.

"Wrap your legs around me," the raven mumbled against his lips as he hoisted the other up. Naruto followed his instructions. He was so far gone into his world of pleasure that he failed to appreciate that the other was supporting his full weight effortlessly. Instead, he focused on his new obsession of marking Sasuke's neck. He dragged his teeth along that pale column while rubbing himself against the other.

"The bedroom," the yakuza commanded brusquely.

"Second door on the left." Naruto mumbled over the act of sucking the black-haired man's earlobes.

Sasuke carried him there in neck-breaking speed, dumping him on the sheets. Briskly, he pulled off Naruto's annoying sweater and revealing sun-kissed skin stretched taunt over well-defined pectoral muscles and a tight abdomen. Next to go were his pants and underwear. Greedily, the raven lapped up the skin, tracing invisible patterns over his chest until he got to his pink nipples. He slowly circled the nub with his wet appendage. His partner's chest heaved jerkily. The blonde's fingers combed through dark hair and gripped tightly. Sasuke continually teased him: raking his teeth over his nipple, sucking it, kissing it while his fingers played and twisted the other one. Then, he interchanged his actions with the opposite one. Naruto was far gone as involuntary moans and groans continuously fell from his lips like an elaborate prayer. His breathing was heavy from the exertion of wanting release but not quite getting it as whenever he felt he was close to climaxing, Sasuke will stop then restart when the heat returned to a cooler boil.

"S-s'ke, pleeeease," Naruto begged, his nail scratching longitudinal paths along Sasuke's back under his jersey. Tears dripped from his eyes. His cock was so hard that it was almost painful. Whenever he tried to touch himself, the bastard cruelly batted his hands away.

The older man leaned back a moment to admire his work. He had worked the blond into a hot, wet mess. There was a huge amount of pre-cum pooling on this stomach. Tears flowed unrestrained from red azure eyes. The other's face was scrunched in the most arousing expression Sasuke had yet witnessed. He took pity as the crying almost turned into full out sobbing. He would have many more instances to prolong his sadistic play, today he will cut it short. Swiftly, he shed himself of his clothing. He was achingly erect as well and suspected that he didn't have to do much to go over the edge. Pressing himself against Naruto's cock, he solidly clutched the both appendages in his hand. Naruto's eyes rolled back as he released the loudest moan for the night.

Sasuke didn't know if the other was aware of it but he was whispering various versions of his name repeatedly. He licked his lips with a satisfied smile. He could definitely get used to this sight. Placing Naruto's hand over his, he commanded him to tighten his grip.

"We'll bring each other to climax," his soft voice was three pitches lower in his stimulated state.

Naruto only struggled to get his breathing under control. He gripped both their sex organs and jerked it in timing with the other. He thrusted spastically into the intense stimulation.

"A-ah, I'm c-c-com… Nnnn," the blonde jaw clamped down shut as every muscle flexed in the wake of his intense orgasm. His toes and fingers curled painfully inwards and his stomach and ass cheeks clenched tightly as white lights appeared at the edges of his vision. He came, and came over again.

Then he blanked out until Sasuke lightly patted cheeks. "Breathe," he ordered. Naruto gasped in a lungful of air. That orgasm was out of this world. He actually forgot to breathe. It took at least two minutes for his breathing to return to a natural rhythm. Even then, tremors and jerks racked through his body.

He shifted his head to face the raven that had laid down on his left side. "Y-you came, right?" Naruto's voice came out hoarse.

Sasuke chuckled as he looped a hand around his waist and ran his fingers through the semen that was pooled on his stomach and running off onto the sheets below. "Yeah. Right here."

The younger man knew he should feel a little bit of disgust seeing his own junk on himself but just because it was mixed with his lover's, it felt different somehow.

"Hah, ok good. Sorry I didn't participate more," Naruto added a bit embarrassed. All he did was moan while the other pleasured him. That would have to change. He was usually very active participant in any sexual act. Now he felt slightly incompetent.

"What are you talking about? You participated quite avidly. I am satisfied," Sasuke said lazily, lightly brushing Naruto's cock who flinched away from the touch.

"Shit, over-stimulation. I'm not quite ready for round two." Naruto shivered.

"Hmm, we will have to fix that. Usually, I can go for about four rounds on an average day."

Cerulean eyes squinted in disbelief. "What kind of monster are you?"

"One that wouldn't die easily."

Immediately, the blonde felt touched. The other male had dropped everything to come to his place just to reassure him. So this was how women felt at this end of a relationship. It made him feel secure; it made him fall a little bit more in the-L-word. Thinking back at the disaster of a first meeting, he never thought that he would be in a position like this with the other – so light-headedly giddy. Naruto smiled as he turned to face Sasuke completely. He threw his right leg over the other male's legs and an arm over his chest. In that process, he smudged the mess on him on his partner's side.

"It think it's unfair how all the gunk got on me. So, I'm sharing it." Naruto said cheekily.

Sasuke stared at him a minute before a tiny quirk of his lips appeared. "You're free to do what you want."

"I'm glad you said that because cuddling after sex is a must with me." The blonde stifled a yawn.

"Is that so," was all he said but wrapped his arm around the thinner man's shoulders. This was a first for him but it didn't feel unwelcomed or awkward.

Naruto settled his head more comfortably on his lover's shoulder. Rubbing his thumb absentmindedly along his side, he felt sleepiness weigh heavily on his eyelids. "You better not." He muttered to himself as he fell asleep.

Affectionately, Sasuke wiped some wetness that was still on tan cheeks away. Of course he was not planning to die a dog's death in some yakuza warfare. That was not the way he planned on going out. He was a man of his word if nothing else. Reaching over, he threw a part of the covers over the blonde's naked sleeping form. He wanted to raise the temperature in the room but not at the price of waking up the other. Guess he was spending the night. He closed his eyes and willed himself to a dreamless state.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

"Shit shit shit," Naruto cursed as he ran frantically around trying to pack a bag with the things he may need. He had overslept. It was fifteen minutes to six, the time he had planned to reach the airport. He made a hurried checklist of the essentials. Phone, check. Charger, check. A change of clothes, check. His tablet, check. Passport, check. Ok, that was good enough. He rushed into the kitchen where a groggy black-haired man sat, staring blankly at the wall. His hair was still damp from the shower he took previously.

"Are you fully awake?" Naruto asked, running fingers through his uncombed hair. He had on black skinny jeans, a red v-neck under a black cardigan with a grey, multi-purpose scarf around his neck which served to hide the numerous hickeys there. He squatted in his high-cut converse sneakers and took an apple from the fridge.

"Want one?"

"Hn."

"Fine, ok. I'm leaving now so get up, let's go." Naruto grabbed his keys and stalked to the door.

Sasuke released a sigh as he picked up Naruto's wallet and printed flight ticket. "Don't forget the most important things, dobe."

"Oh fuck, thanks a lot, Sas." The blonde grinned as he took the items from his hands. He shoved the wallet into his pocket and the ticket into a side pocket in his bag. He locked the door behind Sasuke.

"Okay, bye. I'll see you tonight right?" Naruto spoke quickly as he spotted his cab waiting at the front entrance.

"Hmm."

"Still the same old Sasuke." The younger male tiptoed and planted a wet kiss on the other's lips. He dodged the hands that had made to grab him, laughing.

"I'm late, gotta go."

"Then you shouldn't have kissed me," Sasuke retorted.

Naruto continued laughing as he ran down the stairs and jumped in the car. He made a heart with his fingers then blow him a kiss as the yakuza watched him from the balcony.

Sasuke clicked his tongue as he looked away, pretending he was annoyed. The car drove away. Instantly, he missed the loud expressive brat. Shaking his head, he told himself that the skipped beat in his heart was probably a medical condition; and no, that was not a cheesy smile threatening to form on his face.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

Ino pulled open Shikamaru's door at his first knock. "You're late."

"Not my fault," Naruto said as he walked into the condo and instantly went to the fridge for a bottle of water. "Flight got delayed. Where is Shika?"

"He's lying down in his room," Ino replied.

"Go wake him him. It's already ten. I seriously don't want to test Sakura's threat by reaching late."

The blonde woman giggled, following Naruto's instructions. It took five minutes for the brunette to enter the dining room. He let out a loud yawn.

"Let's go, lazy bum." Naruto urged as he dropped his small duffel bag on the couch.

"Don't rush me, so troublesome." He leisurely picked up his car keys on the table next to the door.

Shikamaru dragged his feet for everything that by the time they reached the university it was already eleven-thirty.

"You did this on purpose, didn't you…" Naruto groaned as he slammed the car door shut.

"Whatever do you mean?" Shikamaru muttered as he strolled after Ino who was calling Sakura to tell her they had reached.

As they walked further into the campus, Naruto gradually realized that he was lost. The compound was just too huge.

"Sakura told us to meet her at the main café." Ino said as she expertly navigated through roads and buildings.

Finally, she stopped in front of a building mostly made of glass. Through it, he saw tons of students sitting down enjoying food or a cup of coffee. The place was enormous. Naruto felt thankful for the blast of cold air that hit him as they entered the food place since he had worked up a light sweat from all the walking he had done.

They didn't take even three steps in before a familiar voice shouted, "Over here!" Many eyes landed on the threesome, making them feel slightly uncomfortable.

"Geez, Sakura, would you chill out? Stop embarrassing us." Ino argued as they traipsed to the table the professor sat at.

"What's so embarrassing about what I did?" Emerald eyes looked at them in confusion.

"Never mind that," Ino said as she sat next to her best friend.

"Sakuraaaa," Naruto said as cheerfully as he could, opening his arms invitingly for a hug. She smiled happily and stood to wrap her arms around his torso.

"Naru, it's been a while," she squeezed him so tightly that it began to hurt a bit.

"Oh, your strength is still impressive," the blonde remarked then gulped when the evil eyes fell on him.

"That's a compliment!"

"That's not it. You're late!"

"It wasn't my fault!" Naruto's voice raised a few octaves.

"Tch. You're lucky I'm in a good mood today," the pink-haired woman mumbled, jabbing him in the ribs.

The blonde male doubled over in pain. He was about to protest but then he caught his best friend's eyes which told him don't play stupid and take it like a man. "Y-yeah. Good seeing you too."

The professor glanced at their mutual male friend. "Shikamaru," she greeted curtly.

"Sakura," he drawled in reply, causing her to grin widely. There was some silent communication going on which confused the hell out of Naruto.

"Okay, the rest of today is gonna be so exciting!" Sakura squealed. "I can't wait to show you what my students in the Paranormal Club have to present. It's all so fascinating."

"Oh boy," the secretary mumbled under his breath. Overhearing him, Ino giggled.

"Want anything here?" When they all gave negative responses, she led them to the location of the fair.

The square of bricked land between the Sciences and Business faculties was ginormous and every inch of it were filled with pitched tents each offering information, fun and games to the numerous people passing attending through. They actually had to shuffle through the dense crowd of human beings. It reminded Naruto of their high school cultural festival. There was loud pop music blasting in the background.

"What the hell man? Why didn't you tell me it would be this awesome?" Naruto remarked already itching to visit some stalls.

"I did," Sakura glared at him. She grabbed his arm before he could dash towards a manga stall selling doujinshi works. "No, you're coming to our club first."

"Fine." The blonde man followed their friend into the faculty of Sciences which were decorated just as elaborately as outside.

"They really went all out huh," Shikamaru commented, impressed.

"Reminds me of high school all over again," Ino joined in.

"Why didn't they allow us to do this when we went to university?" Naruto said a little but salty.

The brunette laughed. "Because they probably knew we would burn down the school if we had free rein over it."

"Touché." Naruto chuckled.

They all broke out laughing. Sakura led them to the Paranormal's dark meeting room. After the audience increased, the members of the club began an eerie performance of an alien abducting an unsuspecting teenage boy then "experimenting" on him. After that, they depicted a scene of a werewolf and vampire fighting over a chick. It ended with the vampire killing the girl, proclaiming that none of them could have her if he couldn't. Then the creature swished his cape and awkwardly ran behind a wall while the werewolf howled meaninglessly on the ground. When the next phase of the play showed what looked like a bad costume of Bigfoot, Naruto could hold it in no longer.

"What the fuck is Sakura teaching these kids?" Naruto choked out to his best friend. The both of them were huddled over trying to hide their laughter from the two girls beside them who were taking the play so seriously. The acting was the worst too.

Naruto fell off his chair when the pink haired professor even wiped a tear quickly from her eyes when "Bigfoot" got shot at after bringing the girl it saved back to a 'village'. It hopped around then abruptly fell to the ground. Again, the acting was atrocious. The blonde could take it no longer and let out gut-wrenching laughter. Shikamaru was close behind him, tearing up as they ran from the room before the pink-haired wrath fell upon them. They ran out the building and collapsed on the lawn under a maple tree. It took them five minutes to stop chortling at the ridiculousness of what they had witnessed.

"Sakura is going to kill us," Naruto breathed, releasing a final chuckle.

"Yeah, she didn't get to show us the 'evidence' that made the supernatural real." Shika snickered.

"She does love her supernatural hobby." Naruto shook his head in amusement. "Better get some 'sight-seeing' done before the she comes to find us."

The brunette nodded as he lifted himself from the floor. "Gonna check out an engineering booth I spotted further up."

"Okay, my manga stall is back there," he said, turning to the direction. Naruto headed to the stall and spent quite a while, checking out the books. They were surprising high-quality. He bought a few action manga then joked with the students on sale. One of the guys even pulled him in and whispered that they even sold a little hentai on the side. Naruto playfully made his face serious as he joked about reporting him. When the fellow became flustered, he laughed at him, calling him a wuss and how in his days he was the bad-asses of all bad-asses. He went unto the next booth and the next, practically making friends with everyone. It was a long time since he interacted with so many people. He had forgotten how people themselves interested him. He was in the middle of wishing the university's swim team, who were the inter-universities champions for the past two years, all the best when a couple of girls over at the adjacent booth began flirting with him.

"Sorry, ladies. I'm taken." Naruto flashed a shit-eating grin.

"Awwww," the girls pouted cutely.

"Hahaha, if it's good looking men you want, I know quite a few. I could give you some connections, but what would you give me in return?" the blonde smirked.

"Keep your connections to yourself," a swimmer joked. "Don't try stealing our girls from us, guys. We're already having a hard time getting a bae."

"Dude, speak for yourself," the guy, with crazy green hair next to him, said.

"You just ain't got any game," another added.

"Guys, don't loud me up in front of the ladies!" the guy loudly whispered back.

Everyone began laughing raucously.

"Taken, ehhhhh?" a voice cooed next to ears, sending shivers down Naruto's back. The latter shifted around frantically to see Sakura standing behind him.

"Damn, don't do that!"

"Naruto, you over react too much."

"No, my heart is just delicate. See you guys around." He waved at the students then left with his friend.

"So did you enjoy the show?"

"You're not angry?"

"Well at first, I was because you missed out on the real footage we had on the supernatural elements. But now I realized that you just can't appreciate it so I should just let it go."

"See, you should think like that more often."

Sakura glared daggers at him.

"U-uh, where is Ino?" He stuttered, changing the subject.

"Ah, she met up with Nara a few minutes ago and she forced him to take her to the Italian restaurant nearby for some takeout."

"What? And he didn't invite me?" Naruto voiced his playful outrage.

"He said he would message you."

The blonde pulled out his phone and indeed there was a message from his best friend explaining that he had left to return soon.

"Huh." Naruto shoved his phone back into his pocket. "On that topic, I'm feeling a bit hungry now."

"Ah, they are selling some pretty tasty yakisoba in the food stalls a little further ahead."

"You will have to treat me to dinner if it's not as good as you say, eh."

"When have I ever been wrong about food?"

Naruto squinted his eyes at her.

"Ok, my tastes have gotten better," she corrected.

Naruto grunted.

They bought a serving of yakisoba from the stall each. Naruto could not deny that it smelled mouth-watering. They grabbed two empty seats in the middle of the square. All around them, people bustled about, enjoying themselves. The blonde smiled to himself. The atmosphere felt so nostalgic; especially since Sakura was with him. She began digging into her meal.

"So you're taken now?" She brought the topic back up again.

"Heh heh, yeah." Naruto scratched the back of his head. He felt a small amount of guilt somehow.

"No need to be a stranger. I'm so happy for you." Sakura nudged him in the arm playfully.

"Thanks." The blonde still felt a bit awkward having this conversation with his ex.

"Now I don't feel bad telling you that I'm dating someone too. For a year now." The pink-haired woman gave him a broad grin.

"What?" Cerulean eyes opened wide with surprise.

"Yep, I met this strappingly handsome assistant professor in the Chemistry department last year. He was just too cute to have some other woman eat him up so I took the initiative of grabbing him first. I wasn't hiding it from you or anything. I just didn't know how to bring it up. Now seemed like the best time." She giggled at Naruto's gaping expression.

"Huh. Is he around? You have to introduce him to me."

"Only when you introduce your partner to me." Sakura shoved a forkful of noodles into her mouth.

"Oh, come on."

"Why is that a problem?"

"Because your boyfriend is already here while my partner isn't."

"So?" she said nonchalantly. "It goes both ways or you get nothing. But I will tell you his name. It's Kei Kagamine."

"Hmm." Naruto just smirked mentally. Now he could investigate him. Sakura was an idiot in some ways. This wasn't some weird quirk of not being able to get over her. He no longer saw her that way with his mind filled to capacity with a certain dark bastard. However, as a friend, he always wanted what was best for her. And so, he would look into this dude to ensure that he was not a closet rapist or violent person. He would do that for all his friends.

"Ok, now it's your turn to give me your girlfriend's name."

Naruto gulped, opening his box of food as a distraction. He was so not ready for another conversation like this.

"Come on. I gave you a name so now you have to."

"No way. I didn't force you to tell me it."

Sakura glared fiercely then pinched his cheek, twisting it painfully.

"Owowowow Sakura. Stop!" Naruto cried out.

"Not until you spill."

Naruto tried yanking the hands away but it only earned him more agony. Maybe it was time to come out to the rest of his friends. Sasuke and he were officially an item. He wasn't going to deny it and lying to his friends was extremely counterproductive. The only slight set back was telling them what his lover did for a living.

The blonde sighed. "Ok let go. I'll tell you." When she released him, he said, "His name is Sasuke Uchiha."

Several emotions ran through his friend's face: confusion, enlightenment, surprise then girlish delight. Never was there a speck of disgust.

Sakura squealed so loudly, a couple people stopped what they were doing to stare at them.

"Sakura, please. Stop being so embarrassing."

She ignored his request and started firing questions rapidly. "What? When did this happen? How did you two meet? What does he look like? Do you have a picture? Who else knows? Why did you not tell me sooner? I need to meet him!"

"No more info. You only asked for my partner's name." Naruto smirked evilly.

"No! You can't do that! You can't just drop a huge bomb like that then leave it like that," The biology professor moaned as if in pain. "Naruto…" She begged.

"It was your fault for only asking for that. I'm only answering your initial request." He was grinning outright now at Sakura's tortured expression. She had this crazy look in her eyes. It was so hilarious. He enthusiastically took a huge bite of the yakisoba in his lap. He paused as his eyes began to water.

"What the fuck! Sakura, all I taste is pepper!" Naruto panted out as his face became red. He had a really low tolerance for spicy food. Sakura knew this.

She shrugged innocently.

"Shit, I need milk." Naruto desperately held himself back from fanning his mouth as he dumped his box in Sakura's lap.

"Oh stop being such a baby. I don't think it's that hot."

Naruto narrowed his eyes at her, wishing death upon her. "Milk."

"There's a vending machine we passed on the way. It's in the direction of the main cafeteria. You remember the way, right?"

Naruto barely gave a response as he shot up and ran towards it, blinking the involuntary tears from his eyes.

"You have to tell me the details about Sasuke when you come back," she shouted after him.

Naruto flipped her the bird. She laughed.

With inhumane speed, he found the machine, shoved a 100 yen coin into it and grabbed the box of chocolate milk that came out. He gulped down the liquid in literally a few seconds. He had to drink two more boxes before he got the heat in his mouth under control.

"Sakura, that bitch," Naruto muttered as he wiped sweat from his forehead and readjusted his scarf. Then, he chuckled at himself. So lame.

He was in a good mood though. Having the truth out there felt good. Even if it was only to one other friend, it gave him courage to tell the rest of the group.

On another note, he had to think up of a prank to punish Sakura for this. Shoving his hand into his jean pockets, he started back towards where she was. Suddenly, there was an ear-splinting sound. Everything happened in seconds. The ground shook with powerful vibrations. Naruto didn't have time to brace himself as a slab of concrete flew towards him with some devastatingly strong force and hit him heavily in his chest. It knocked the wind out of him and propelled him a few feet backwards. He slammed into the ground. The world turned black…


	10. Disaster (2)

**Chapter Nine**

Jurou rushed into his office like an untempered storm. Sasuke looked up from the papers on his desk and slowly took off his glasses. His bodyguard never did this before.

"What is it?" he asked brusquely.

"Boss, there's just been a bombing."

The raven haired man replaced the glasses on his nose, intent on resuming his work. "How is that my problem?"

"I just received word from our contact at police headquarters. A letter of responsibility was sent an hour after the bombs were detonated. The writer of the letter called themselves Akatsuki and stated that their reason for attacking the university was because of the Kimikaze group. Right now the police are rallying and planning to crack down on our activities."

"They finally made their move, huh. Fuck." Sasuke squeezed his eyes with his fingers. Out of all the scenarios that he predicted the unknown enemy would make in order to reveal themselves, he admitted that he did not see this coming. So, their first move was to undermine their relationship with the authorities. Indiscriminately killing off innocents at a university -where the country's children gathered- was a thrillingly excellent way. Well played.

"Give me the details," he said coldly as he stood.

"The bombs went off an hour ago –as I said previously- at two thirty in the afternoon. The location was at Shimiya University in Tokyo. It's a school renowned for its vast size and producing highly talented scholars and athletes. The ambulances, fire fighters and reporters are already on the scene. The death toll is over one hundred and climbing. Apparently, today the university was hosting a cultural event that-. Is everything alright, boss?"

Sasuke's chest felt tight. He bent over his desk, pressing his hands to the surface, trying to stop the tremor. Please, let him have heard wrong. "Where did the bombing take place?" His voice was so low that his bodyguard almost did not hear him.

"At Shimiya University, Tokyo." Jurou said only. He could see that his boss was visibly upset.

"Shit," the raven haired man pulled out his phone and began calling someone. He tried several times. After his seventh try, he threw his phone to the wall. In rage, he swiped his papers off the desk. He was breathing heavily; he did not want to think the worst as yet.

Jurou watched in silent fascination. It was the first time he had seen the boss lose his cool in front of him. Things were getting too personal for him. However, it was not his place to tell him so.

"Sir, please give me an order."

"Have the plane ready to head to Tokyo. Tell Masashi and Ichiro to abandon whatever they were doing. They are coming too. We leave in thirty minutes tops. You can tell me the rest of the details inflight."

"Yes sir." He left.

Sasuke clenched his fists together. He needed to calm down; keep a cool head about things. Naruto was not dead. That stubborn dobe? No, way. He could not predict the future but he was disappointed in himself for not forcing him to stay in Sakai. Then, he wouldn't have to feel this foreign feeling as if his world was falling apart at the seams. Taking another deep breath, his face smoothed over into its usual blank mask. Briskly, he put on his shoulder holster and shoved his Glock G17 and Exterminator in. He shrugged his black trench coat on and dug in his drawer for a new phone. After putting his SIM card into the new device, he packed a small duffel bag with spare ammunition in case he may need it.

He strolled out the office and building then slid into the short limo awaiting him. Masashi and Ichiro were already inside. Jurou shut the door after him then slipped into the driver's seat. In an hour's time, they will touch down in Tokyo. If this Akatsuki group had called them out in the letter, they were in for some hard times. The police had no idea who the fuck this new group was and their group was out in the open. With the public's outcry, they would most likely fall upon them with their misplaced sense of justice. This meant their group needed to start some damage control and fast. Sasuke sighed. He was not looking forward to the 'family' reunion that the Chief would call together soon.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

There was this terrible ringing in his ears. It took him several tries to open his eyes. They felt so heavy. When he finally managed to open them, it again took several blinks for his blurry vision to become clear. Everything in his head was eerily quiet except for the ringing in his ears. What happened? He tried getting up but there was something heavy pressing him down, covering him. Looking down, he realized that a piece of concrete was on him. The fuck?

It took him at least ten minutes to get the heavy thing to move even a little to the side. It felt as if it was stuck on something. However, panic made his attempts more desperate to escape from his entrapment. When he lifted and shifted the slab of rock to the side enough for him to crawl out from under it, his feet shook terribly as he placed his weight on it. He had to use the support of the fallen debris around him to stand upright. He looked around wiping something that was dripping into his eyes.

Shock was the only thing he felt as he viewed the scene in front of him. Dense clouds of smoke rose up from several areas that once were tall, stately, well-designed buildings. In their places were rubble, piles of glass and parts of the foundations that resisted and stood there teasingly mocking of what the places once were. Fires were everywhere and he saw men in red frantically putting them out with snakes of hoses slithering behind them. There was a flurry of action about him put he found it hard to focus since it seemed as though he was looking at a black and white film without any sound.

His eyes widened when they landed on a body on the ground. It looked like a body… His mind recoiled with what it saw. It looked charred beyond recognition. He could not tell if it was male or female. It was twisted in a grotesque position as if whoever had died ended in a vast amount of pain. As he looked around, he saw multiple bodies littering the ground. The red blood flowing from them contrasted vividly in his eyes against the bleak surroundings. Some people were conscious but injured and crying, maybe screaming. He could not hear. He held his stomach as he felt vomit threaten to crawl up his throat. He turned around and met the scene of death everywhere. What happened? What was going on? Was this a nightmare? …Where was Sakura? He stumbled weakly towards where he thought she was. The place looked so different.

As he walked further in, the bodies slowly transformed into body parts. Uncontrollable tremors racked through his body, almost making it impossible for him to walk. Fear made his mind numb. He tripped over something. It was leg; blood still flowing from the limb where it was detached from a hip. Naruto released a choked sound as he scrambled into a run. 'Where was Sakura?' His mind repeated over and over. He reached the place that was once the square. The blackened tents were all flattened as if a hurricane had passed through. The smell of burnt flesh was strong in the air. His legs gave away, clumps of bodies were burnt together. Body parts scattered everywhere. Sakura was somewhere in that. No, that could not be. She could have left. His eyes spotted what looked like intestines a few feet from him. He could no longer keep the vomit in and retched violently on the ground. His eyes burned. Shivers rendered him immobile.

Was this hell?

He felt close to passing out.

Hands grabbed his shoulders. Turning, relief filled him as he spotted a familiar face. It was Shika but his face was twist into extreme concern and fright. He was saying something but Naruto only saw his lips moving. He struggled to his feet slowly and turned to his friend. He had to tell him about Sakura. Horror shifted onto Shikamaru's face as he glanced down Naruto's body. Confused, the blonde looked down at himself as well. He felt a certain level of shock as he saw blood soaking his red t-shirt. He was bleeding? But he did not feel the pain. It felt like an out of body experience. He lifted his shirt and blood spurted out from a gaping wound in his stomach. Now that he thought about it his black pants felt a little wet.

Shikamaru lowered him to the floor, taking off his jacket. He pressed it to his wound and started talking to someone, or shouting? Naruto tried getting up. He needed to tell him that he needed to look for Sakura. Another pair of hands held his shoulders in place on the ground. It was Kiba. What was he doing here? He saw another familiar face come into view. Neji. The doctor's lips were moving but again he felt as if he was listening to someone shouting a far distance ahead of him. Wait, his hearing was slowly coming back to him.

"-hear me? Are you in pain?" the long haired man's velvety voice asked. The volume on everything was soft but he could hear. Neji's face was blank.

"Sakura? Did you find her?" he groaned out.

"We are having people look for her now so focus on yourself," Neji said briskly.

"Okay, okay. Good seeing your prissy ass, Neji." Naruto said somewhat placated.

Neji nodded but his features did not shift. "Can you tell me if you're having any problems with your breathing? Nara, keep the pressure on that steady."

"No, I'm fine. I'm not in pain. Can I get up?"

"No you can't, Naruto. I'll be honest. Your wound looks very serious. The only reason you're not feeling it is probably because you are in severe shock. We need to move you to the hospital right away."

"How are we gonna do that?" Kiba finally spoke. His face was deadly pale. "The ambulances are probably not gonna carry him right away because they might not view his case as serious as the other survivors."

"Other survivors?" Naruto echoed.

"You were-," Kiba started but Neji stopped him.

"It may not be a good thing to rile him up even more, Inuzuka."

"Let's move him away from here at least." Shikamaru murmured.

"I agree. Kiba, see if you can find something to carry him with." Neji ordered.

"Whoa, guys. I still have all my senses intact. I'm perfectly capable of walking myself back."

Neji frowned.

"Don't make me feel like a helpless invalid. Just help me up and assist me to wherever. It would be a quicker process." When he realized that he had not gotten through to the doctor, he turned to his best friend. "Shika."

"Alright," the IT expert said as he told Kiba to help the blonde up as he kept pressure on his injury.

Naruto grunted as he stood and stumbled as a wave of dizziness washed over him. "I'm fine," he snapped when he saw the worry on all his friends faces.

With Kiba and Shikamaru supporting him on both sides, they slowly made their way to the outskirts of the disaster zone. Naruto's limbs felt heavier and heavier. By the time they made it to where there were lines upon lines of survivors being treated on mini cots or blankets, they were supporting his full weight. Hinata and Ino ran up to them. Ino looked like shit and a bundle of nerves. Her gaze fell on Shika's blood-soaked jacket pressed to Naruto's stomach and began shaking like a leaf. On the other hand, Hinata calmly guided them to a clean blanket she had spread out on the grass a little away from the rest of the injured company. They placed him gently on it and stuffed bags and sheets under his feet, elevating them.

Naruto began feeling the extent of his injury in the form of cold sweat and uncontrollable shivering. He pressed clammy hands to his wet forehead. The good side of things was that he did not have to deal with the pain.

"Hinata, can you get me more clean cloth?" Neji asked as he knelt beside the blonde, taking Shikamaru's place.

"Yes." She swiftly got up and left.

The doctor ran expert eyes over the wound. He used the first aid kit with him to clean the wound before pressing the cloth back over the front and back. The injury pierced straight through. It was nearly five now. He didn't know exactly how much blood Naruto lost but he could see the clear signs of hypovolemic shock coming on. The bleeding was not stopping. There could be internal bleeding as well. They needed to get him to the hospital now.

"Shika, take back over. I'm going to see if I can get a paramedic to see to us and thus get him into an ambulance." He briskly left after the brunette went back to holding the material over the wound.

No one said anything. The mood hung heavily and ominously. Although, Naruto knew this was a serious situation, he still didn't like it.

"Cheer up, people. I'm gonna be ok and we are gonna find Sakura. No need to be so glum," the blonde male said lightly.

"Man, there's nothing cheerful about you bleeding to your death right now." Kiba growled out.

"I'm saying don't worry," Naruto closed his eyes, feeling a bit light-headed. "I'm a stubborn guy. Something like this is not gonna do me in."

He heard Ino sniffle. He opened his eyes and sent her a reassuring look accompanied with a light squeeze of her knees.

Hinata rushed back and handed Shika some clean-looking cloth. He took it and replaced his jacket with it using trembling hands. Naruto could see the panic just beneath the surface of his brown eyes. He grabbed his collar and pulled him close.

"Don't lose it, okay. The other guys need you if things go a little south. Keep the group together, alright?" he whispered.

Shikamaru just clenched his jaw and continued to focus on his task. Naruto smiled weakly. Time seemed to drag past. Naruto began moving in and out of consciousness. He always shook himself back up when he heard his friends call his name. His eyelids felt heftier every time he opened them back up again.

"Shika, I need to see Sasuke," his voice was barely above a whisper.

"Who?" he leaned his ears next to his best friend's lips which were turning blue.

"My lover. I told him that I would meet him tonight. I-I would not be able to make it. I need to tell him… call him. T-the oven, I think I left it on. Yakisoba too hot…"

Shikamaru felt so lost. Where was Neji? Naruto was slowly getting delirious as his condition worsened.

"Naruto!" Ino shouted as he lost consciousness again.

Suddenly, a stranger nudged him out of the way. He raised his fist to fight the piece of shit that forced him to stop applying pressure to the wound. The unfamiliar man with such striking features grabbed him around his mouth with a lot more strength than he expected and dragged him in close before he could do anything.

"Do anything stupid and you will end up as one of those injured shits over there," the deep voice said, a dead serious look in his coal eyes.

Shikamaru quickly gestured to Kiba to remain where he was. This stranger was not kidding. The black haired man released him then turned his full attention on Naruto. He leaned down, gently tapping his cheeks.

"Naruto," he called. "Wake up, now." He ran his fingers along his blue lips. He pressed against the cloth against at the blonde's stomach and checked his pulse. It was a little weak. "What's the extent of the injury?" he demanded.

Ino was too frightened to say anything and Kiba looked a mixture of confused and outraged. Hinata had run off to get Neji, he assumed. That only left Shikamaruto to calmly respond. "The most serious of his injuries is the wound you are pressing on right now. We found him wandering around with the wound so I can't tell you how he got the injury. However, it pierced him through and he's bleeding profusely. It's also accurate to infer that he may also have internal damage."

"Tch, Jurou get me some tape." Sasuke ordered his bodyguard who stood a few feet from them. Jurou was a little surprised when this boss suddenly walked up to the group of strangers. It was all beginning to make sense to him as he watched how Sasuke gently handled the injured blonde.

"Yes, boss."

He refocused on Naruto. "Damn it, Naruto. Open your eyes." He shook him a bit, keeping firm pressure on the wound.

Straw lashes fluttered open. Azure eyes stared at him. "S'suke, what are you doing here?"

"Ensuring that you don't die." He said gruffly, covering up the relief he felt. "Stay awake," he ordered.

Tan hand grabbed the corner of his coat. He covered that hand with his. He pulled out his phone and quickly dialled Tsunade.

"Brat."

"Tsunade, I need you to call Tokyo Medical Institute. It's the closest to Shimiya University, the place that got bombed. Naruto needs surgery."

"What? He was caught up in that? I will call right away."

"Get the best surgeon on it. Tell them he is a twenty-four year old male with a wound that pierced him through his left abdomen. Tell them his blood type too. He's lost a lot of blood."

"You don't need to tell me how to do my job."

"Tell them to look out for the patient coming in a black Ford within the next ten minutes." While he was speaking on the phone a man in a paramedic uniform came up to Naruto and started examining him.

Sasuke kept hawk eyes on the newcomer. He would have to shoo him away when he ended the call.

"I want you there as well," he continued. "Because if the doctors fuck up, I need someone there to hold me back from slitting their incompetent throats."

"I'm already on my way to the hospital. Was in Tokyo on some business. Just focus on bringing Naruto alive."

"Hn." He hung up.

He breathed in and as he breathed out, he pulled out his Glock equipped with its silencer and dug it into the paramedic's head.

Ino let out a loud gasp. Shikamaru stood, shielding Ino and Kiba from the dangerous man that seemed to have Naruto's best interest at heart. He was starting to have his doubts. Was this Naruto's lover? Who exactly is the man whom Naruto got involved with?

"Move the needle away from the blonde's arm," he ordered lowly, death dripping from each word.

"Sir, I'm just administering an anticoagulant."

A cold humourless smirk slid onto Sasuke's lips. Any normal person would have frozen and put their hands into the air in fear if they felt a gun shoved into their head. However, this person continued to hold the needle close to Naruto's arm. His partner was too weak to do anything. The bloodlust emanating from the guy with silver hair was almost staggering.

"Then why the fuck do I sense so much bloodthirst. Make no mistake, I have no qualms spilling your brains in front of hundreds of people here. Move the fucking needle away. Or do you want to test which is faster: a bullet or your reflexes." Sasuke's eyes turned dull, willing the man to make the latter choice.

The quiet tension between the people present was thick. The paramedic laughed as if he made a big joke and threw the needle into the grass beside him, lacing his fingers behind his head.

"The fucking rumours about you are true: just as deadly and bloodthirsty as you are sexy." The silver haired man turned lilac eyes on him and licked his lips.

"Ah, you must be part of Akatsuki." The yakuza dug the barrel of his gun painfully into the other's head.

"Smart, too." the other man smirked.

Jurou came back with the tape. Sasuke shifted his head to the side, silently ordering him to tape the material to Naruto's wounds. He proficiently followed instructions. Just then, Masashi strolled up to them, trying not to draw even more attention to the group. They were already making a scene. Sasuke just hoped it didn't draw the police's attention.

"Masa, take Naruto to the hospital now," he commanded, never shifting his gaze from his enemy.

"Yes, sir. Jurou, make sure you protect the boss," The bulky man leaned down and gently picked up Naruto.

"Sasuke," Naruto weakly called out.

"Don't worry, I'll be right behind you." He said softly.

Masashi carried him off. They should reach the hospital in five minutes. That left him with five minutes to get things done here. The other people, who Sasuke could only guess were Naruto's friends, remained frozen in place, pale with fear.

The raven ignored them, and refocused on the bigger issue. "For a group which expertly blew this place up without leaving much of a trace, you're goddamn stupid for making a shitty move like this."

"Heh, well you see our leader becomes a little erratic when it comes to matters concerning you. You really shouldn't have gotten yourself a lover."

His plans to keep Naruto out of it was shot down before it even took flight. Shit. Why didn't he think that he was being watched? He thought that Akatsuki was just after their group as a whole. He was just one of the many sub-heads in the group. Why were they focusing on him?

"Is that so," he drawled. "Now I have you to give me all the information I need about Akatsuki, you stupid cunt."

"Ahh, call me that again. I felt that all the way to my cock." The enemy giggled.

"Don't worry, we'll have plenty of time together for me to do all kinds of thing with you," Sasuke droned monotonously before swiftly delivering a powerful blow to the kneeling man's temple. He fell to the ground unconscious. However, Sasuke did not stop there. He shot the unconscious man in both legs.

"Do we have another car?" he asked Jurou as he bent to pick up the two bullet casings on the ground.

"Yes, Ichiro went and got it."

"Good, let's go. Bring this piece of shit along." He tapped his shoes on silver hair.

Jurou picked up the man and threw him over his shoulders. They turned and walked in the opposite direction from the moans and groans of people on their death beds.

"Wait!" Shikamaru shook off the shock and ran after the man. "What about Naruto? You took him to Tokyo Medical Institute?"

The black haired man paused and gave him a fleeting glance. It looked as if he was going to ignore him but then, as if he thought better of it, answered, "Yes. Don't bother coming soon though. You will not be allowed close to him until I've done a background check on Naruto and his so-called friends and family. If you don't pass it, you will end up in a much worse position than this fucker here." The man continued towards his car with an arrogant, icy air.

Shikamaru and the others just watched him leave. There was nothing they could do to stop him. After that show of violence and fearlessness, the brunette knew that he stood no chance in defying the man. He turned as Neji and Hinata ran up to them.

"Where is Naruto?" Neji asked looking pointedly at the empty spot that was once occupied by the blonde.

"He was taken by some crazy ass guy!" Ino shouted hysterically, tears flowing from her eyes. "He pulled out a gun and shot a paramedic just like that!"

Kiba just stared at the ground blankly. He said nothing.

Shikamaru frowned deeply and ran his hands through his hair in frustration. "I think that was Naruto's boyfriend."

He received several gaping stares with varying degrees of surprise and scepticism.

"Naruto got a boyfriend?" Kiba echoed, his voice high-pitched.

The tears in Ino's eyes stopped. "Since when did that happen? How come we were not told?"

Neji was glaring at him and about to say something that he knew would piss him off so he raised his voice above the confusion.

"He was going to tell you. He didn't even tell me much about the guy. Only just now I found out that his name might be Sasuke. I know, the guy seems like a very bad guy but you're missing some very important facts. Naruto is now safely going to a hospital –or have already reached by now- and will be all right. No matter what he did, we could deal with that a later time. The only thing that we should focus on now is that he did what we couldn't to save our friend. Damn." He ran his hand over his tired eyes.

"Yeah, you are right," Ino spoke softly.

Neji glared at the floor. He was pretty upset that Shikamaru had allowed their friend to be taken away by someone who obviously had a loose screw somewhere, shooting another publicly. He was also worried about the injured stranger. However, he squashed his conscious and his need to argue. The mood was already tumultuous without him adding to it.

"Still, he said some pretty serious stuff," Inuzuka squatted on the ground, weary now that the stressful atmosphere had passed.

"What stuff?" Hinata questioned.

"Something about the paramedic being involved with the bombing here. I think he was gonna do further harm to Naruto. That's why the situation got a bit out of control." The frown on Shikamaru's deepened, already hating the implications of what that meant for Naruto and themselves.

Neji plopped down on the ground. "What? What is going on? What is Naruto involved in?"

"I don't know. That's what I intend to find out. But we have the name of the people responsible for this horrible nightmare," Shikamaru stared out at the billows of black smoke that arose from the buildings. "Akatsuki."

The word soak into their minds. How could anyone do this and live with themselves? So many innocent lives were lost today. Good talented people. The scene of many bodies devoid of life and deformed in death will forever be etched into their minds. Their hands were also soaked in their friend's blood. This was a fucking nightmare.

"Did you find out anything about Sakura?" Nara asked the question no one wanted to.

"No, I didn't have the time to. I was so focused on treating Naruto. However, I looked over the survivors I passed. She didn't seem to be among them. Honestly, from what Naruto said, she might have been near one of the bombs that went off. The situation does not look good. I think it's best we prepare for the worst. It would take a few days, even more than a week for any sort of evidence." Neji said in a detached voice. He looked at his hands, depression and stress heavy in his facial expression.

Ino let out a pained wail as she fell to the ground. Hinata ran to catch her, wrapping her arms around her sobbing form. Tears also silently fell from her pale eyes.

Neji, Hinata and Kiba had all dropped what they were doing when they got the call from Shika that Naruto and Sakura had been caught up in the bombing. Ino was beside herself with regret. She blamed herself thinking that if she had dragged her best friend and Naruto with her to the restaurant, they would not be in this mess. Shikamaru wore his panic and worry much better. He was so happy for the company when the others arrived. He had spent an hour looking for his friends and was happy to have extra eyes. He told Hinata to stay and keep Ino's company. He did not think she would be able to cope with the carnage they saw. Words could not describe the relief he felt when he finally had spotted Naruto stumbling around near the square.

Now, the blonde girl's sorrowful cries imitated the indescribable pain in each of their hearts. They may have lost one of their own this dreadful afternoon. How does one deal with that?

"I'll stay here. Keep a look out to see if I find anything solid about Sakura. There are also a lot of injured people who still haven't received medical attention." The doctor slowly got up.

"I'll stay and help too. Put my little knowledge of the human anatomy to good use," Kiba said quietly.

Kiba and Neji needed to keep busy to deal with the unconfirmed loss hanging over all their heads. That left him to deal with the girls. What he really wanted to do was drive to the hospital and find out that his best friend was really okay. He didn't think he could stay sane if he got the news that the blonde died while he was away from him. That ordeal would be too much for even him to handle. The short-haired brunette nodded to the two guys as they walked off. He sat beside the crying girls, keeping them company as they dealt with their grief. It was all he could do right then.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

It was bordering on nine at night. Shikamaru got hourly updates from Kiba about the situation at Shimiya University. The death toll had climbed to two-hundred and twenty-three. Some of the deaths occurred because patients bled out before they could receive medical attention or they remained trapped somewhere and were not found in a timely manner. It was all very morbid. About half of the doctors in city were rushing to the scene to help. The other half were desperately working at hospitals –private and public- to save the many who were sent there.

The brunette had just dropped the two girls at a hotel, telling them to rest up. They had reached the limit of their coping abilities. He promised to keep them posted on the important matters. In the meantime, they should just stay away from the scene of death. Right now, he was headed to Tokyo Medical Institute to check up on Naruto. He needed to know that his friend was not at death's door; Sasuke's warning be damned to hell.

When he reached the private hospital's front desk, the chaos around them was almost similar to the university. It made him a bit more anxious. He asked the clerk about Naruto's location. The stressed out woman checked her computer then gave him a nervous look as if she was scared to divulge any sort of info about that patient.

Impatience bubbled to the surface. "Ms… Tanzaki, look. I've had a fucking long day. Please just tell me where Naruto Uzumaki is and I will be out of your way. I'll deal with the goddamn complications I know is surrounding him."

"U-uh, Mr. Uzumaki is in the Intensive Care unit. I was told not to allow any visitors go to him. But he came out of surgery an hour ago. It was very successful."

Shikamaru almost collapsed with relief. That was the first good thing he heard for the evening/night.

"I still need to see him."

"Sir, I cannot."

"Please, can you give the floor a call and tell them, Naruto's friend, Shikamaru Nara, is here to see him. Please, I need to. I lost a friend today already. I need to see with my own eyes that my best friend is alive," the brunette all but pleaded.

Pity shone in the clerk's eyes. "Please give me a moment." She spent a minute on the device then turned to him with a smile. "A person will be with you shortly to escort you to your friend. My condolences on your loss."

"Thank you." He nodded curtly then propped himself up on a nearby wall. He was mildly surprised that he was being allowed to go up. To be honest, he thought he might have had to fight his way through, knocking a security guard or two out before being led away by police.

"Excuse me, Mr. Nara," a male voice interrupted his thoughts.

Shikamaru looked up from the ground and saw the man that was with 'Sasuke' earlier this afternoon. He believe he was called Jurou.

"Please follow me."

He was led to the six floor where rich patients stayed if their recovery time lasted more than a day. Jurou's boss stood outside of room 67.

"I didn't think you would have allowed me to come up here so soon," He said distastefully.

"Well, you are an exception."

Shikamaru cocked an eyebrow, confused. "How so?"

"I did a background check on Naruto. Also on an Inuzuka, the both Hyuugas, a Yamaguchi and a Haruno –they have been with the dobe since middle school, I believe- and Naruto's foster father."

"Naruto would have your head when he finds out."

"Hn. That's not important. What I did find on you, Nara, was very interesting. Well it's more like the person who you are related to is interesting."

Shikamaru shifted his weight in apprehension. He had an idea of where this was heading.

"Your father is a part of the Kimikaze group."

"So what? That has nothing to do with me? I cut ties with my dad the moment I finished high school. I want nothing to do with the yakuza." The moment he said 'yakuza' he pieced everything together. Why did he take so long to realize this? And people thought he was a genius. "You're yakuza."

Sasuke lounged next to the door, a hand in his pocket. "Also, affiliated with the Kimikaze group. Shikaku Nara is the only fellow sub-head that I respect for his loyalty and intelligence. He is the reason you're standing here. You should be a bit more grateful for your parentage." He pushed off the wall and started down the hall.

So many conflicting emotions ran through the brunette. How did he feel about using the exact same connection he ran away from at eighteen years old to become a man of his own? A man who made an honest living and was not involved in anything sketchy… He was now twenty-four years old and he never thought he would ever see or hear about his father again. It seemed that just might change.

"Wait a goddamn minute. What the hell happened this afternoon? You seem to know exactly what the fuck happened." Shikamaru shouted.

The yakuza paused. "Don't push your luck. I have no obligations to explain myself to someone I have no relations to. Do what you came here for." He continued down the hall and out the door.

The brunette cursed. He clearly was not going to get anything out of Naruto's boyfriend. He needed answers. If Sasuke knew, then so would his father. He kicked the wall in frustration. He might just have to call him up if he could not get anything in the next few days. But he so did not want to. Shikamaru also did not think his dad would take too kindly to him calling him up after six years of silence. One could never ever run away from blood relations forever. He sighed and calmed himself.

He pushed open door 67. His blonde friend laid still on the hospital bed. The room was spacious and all the furniture it contained looked plush and expensive. He slowly walked up to the bed. Naruto remained unconscious. His face still held a pallid complexion. Bandages were wrapped around his head and around his torso (from what he could see from the opening of the hospital gown). There were small cuts and bruises all over his arms to which an IV was fastened on the left. A breathing tube curled around his nose and behind his ears. The blonde indeed looked like he had been at death's door but the strong beeping of the monitor told him that the blonde was okay. He would recover and be healthy in no time.

Shikamaru pulled a comfortable chair up to the bed and sat down. He would wait until those blue eyes opened. That would clear all his worries away. He tapped his fingers against his crossed leg and thought about the information he had. A group called Akatsuki was responsible for the bombing at the university today. Sakura and Naruto had been unfortunate victims of the attack. Due to that, Sasuke, a member of the Kamikaze group, showed up to tend to his lover. At the same time, a paramedic, who claimed to be a part of this Akatsuki group, showed up to do something to the blonde. He reckoned it could not be anything good. The guy said something about Sasuke should not have gotten a lover. All these crazy occurrences could not just be some coincident. Could all this mean that Akatsuki and the Kimikaze group are in some kind of conflict and the innocent lives at Shimiya University were just unlucky casualties?

The brunette hunched over and pressed clasped fingers to the bridge of his nose. If that was so, then all members of Kamikazi would be targeted by Akatsuki. In other words, anyone related to the yakuza group may be in danger. If today was anything to go by, Naruto already had a huge target on his back. That means, he truly was not out of the woods as yet. No wonder Sasuke had such tight security measures in place. Fuck, how did things get so complicated in such a short period of time? Why did Naruto get involved with a yakuza? Shikamaru sighed. If his best friend was happy, he knew he would not say or do anything to destroy his relationship with the other. His disapproval and concern did not matter. What he would do was protect his friend in any way he could within the boundaries he was allowed. However, he could not help but think that if he had tried harder to find out who Naruto was agonizing over, he could have prevented the guy from choosing danger and death which, Nara had no doubt, signified Sasuke.

His mind cringed every time it tried to think of his rosette-haired friend. He could only deal with so much at a time. For now, he needed to stop thinking. He stared blankly at the bed sheets, zoning out. He was so tired.

"Oh, are you an acquaintance of Naruto?" a female voice asked.

Shikamaru got startled out of his reverie. How long had he been out of it? When he turned his head around, he saw a blonde voluptuous woman in a lab coat. She must be a doctor.

"A close friend," he corrected.

"I see. Nice to meet you. I'm Dr. Tsunade and I'm the doctor in charge of Uzumaki."

He gave a small nod in acknowledgement.

The woman briskly walked to Naruto and began doing a quick series of tests. "I'm just doing a follow up to ensure that everything is alright. As you might have heard, the surgery was successful. We were able to repair the organs damaged and close up the openings to his wounds with little complications. He needed a lot of blood transfusions though. Ah, the wound on his head is just a bad-looking laceration. Thankfully, he does not have a concussion again."

'Again?' Shikamaru thought.

"All in all, he's a strong brat and he pulled through the worst of it just fine." The doctor gave the patient a fond look. It seemed that she knew Naruto from before. It was time Shikamaru knew the full details of what really happened when his friend took that unforeseen trip to Kyoto.

"Thank you, doctor." The brunette murmured.

Tsunade turned probing golden eyes on the man. "You look like you're in some dire need of rest yourself. It's already midnight. I'm sure you had a long day."

He shook his head. "I'm waiting until Naruto wakes up."

"The anaesthesia should wear off any time now. But, there is no need to force yourself to stay up. Naruto's not going anywhere."

Stubbornly, the brunette repeated, "I'll wait until he gets up."

The blonde woman sighed. She was surrounded by stubborn men. "Fine. Would you like a blanket and pillow to make yourself more comfortable?"

"No, thank you. Thanks for looking over Naruto again." Shikamaru turned back around, intending to return to his silent watch over his best friend.

Tsunade let an exasperated smile onto her face before leaving.

An hour later, the brunette's head lulled unto his chest in sleep. The weariness had won over his will to stay awake.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

"Uchiha, you are to report to the main house at ten today. We are have an emergency meeting. I'm certain you know what it is about. Don't be late." Ryuu, the chief's secretary, ordered in a no-nonsense tone.

"Hn, understood." He muttered then hang up.

By now, all members must have gotten the news about the Shimiya bombing and this new Akatsuki group targeting them. The incident would force even the police they had in their pockets to action. They would want answers that they could not give. And if the public made enough noise, they would probably start wrongfully arresting some of the clan members just to spout some bullshit to appease the masses and make them think they were doing their jobs. There was nothing more annoying than a police commissioner on the path of ignorant righteous fury.

It was already three in the morning. He had been ensuring that the Akatsuki member he had captured was not bleeding out and tucked safely away in a hideout only he and his bodyguards knew of. Anticipation gnawed at him for the moment when he could take his carefree time to interrogate him.

Sasuke rolled his shoulders to relieve the stiffness. He was back at the hospital to check up on Naruto. He was pleased that the surgery went well. All he wanted now was to see his dobe conscious. Opening the door of room 67, he spotted Nara sleeping next to the hospital bed. Irritation began to fill him until cerulean eyes met his. A heavy burden suddenly felt as if it had dissipated from his shoulders. It felt that this was the most stress he had been through in the twenty-seven years he was alive.

"Hi, there," the blonde said in a raspy voice. He threw him a lopsided smile and Sasuke's heart soared.

He strolled up to him and leaned down. The urge to kiss him was overwhelming. Naruto shoved his hands in the way. Sasuke's eyebrows twitched in annoyance.

"You cannot be serious about kissing me. I probably look like road-kill and I know my breath could probably kill someone right now. It tastes like something crawled into my mouth and died."

"I don't care." The raven grabbed his hands and wrestled them away.

"I do!" Naruto forced out as he struggled to keep his hands in place. When he realized that he was losing, he went for a low blow. "It hurts." It was a lie. He didn't feel anything except a slightly pleasant buzz. It was probably the ton of pain meds he was hooked up on.

Immediately, Sasuke released him. "Where? Should I call the doctor?"

Naruto felt guilty. "No, it is bearable. Ah, it went away."

The yakuza's eyebrows maintained its deep furrows on his forehead. Naruto laughed softly and reached up to massage the creases. "Stop frowning."

The man gently grabbed the blonde's hand and pressed it to his lips. Naruto's heart thudded loudly in his chest. "Be honest and tell me if you are in any pain or discomfort. I'll have the doctors attend to you right away."

"I'm fine. I'm okay, Sasuke." The man younger by three years clasped his other hand against his lover's cheek.

"I blame myself for not forcing you to stay at home," he said softly. His eyes reflected the concern he dare not say aloud.

"No, you can't use this as an excuse to become a tight-ass bastard again. Not after we have made so much progress. My injury was a freak accident, a coincident."

"Naruto, you were involved in a bombing."

The blonde blinked, thinking back at the devastation and mortality he witnessed. What about Sakura? He tried to hold back the shakes that took of his body. Sasuke sat down next to the blonde and tightly wrapped his arms around him, careful of his wounds.

A bombing. That would perfectly explain the tragic scene. The panic he felt rising up simmered down as he rested his head against the older man's chest. His heartbeat calmed him.

A minute or two slipped by. "Sasuke, I need you to do me a favour. My friends are looking into it but there was another friend of mine who was with me when the bombing happened. Her name is Sakura Haruno. I need to know that she is okay as well."

Obsidian eyes looked into azure orbs for a minute before he blinked and responded, "I'll look into it." He didn't have the heart to tell him what he really thought.

Naruto threaded his quivering fingers through Sasuke's. "Thank you. Who could possibly attack a school full of innocent people?"

"Hn. I'm going to find out myself."

The blonde's grip tightened. "Pleased, don't get involved with that."

"Dobe, I'm already involved. You're already involved." The tinges of anger started to creep into his voice.

"What? Why? What's going on?" Naruto's eyes were wide.

The yakuza closed his eyes. "Do you remember what I said the night before you left for Tokyo?"

"You said that you will be unavailable. That you had to focus your full attention on a threating matter that had arisen," the blonde said slowly, understanding sinking in. "Did this have something to do with that?"

The raven silence gave him confirmation.

"Oh, God." Tan hands pressed against his chest as his heart thumped hastily with anxiety.

"A group called Akatsuki just recently started picking a fight with us. We don't know their goals or anything much about their structure. All we know is that they are ruthless and savage if this attack is anything to go by. I'm only telling you now because I may have unintentionally dragged you into this. I don't want you to be blindsided if they target you once again."

Naruto took a deep breath and thought about things rationally. "Once again?"

"You may have been a bit out of it but an Akatsuki member tried to drug you this afternoon. I don't know what his plans were and I certainly appreciate that fact that I would not get to."

The young secretary thought things over. He was in danger because of his relationship with Sasuke. Did this mean he should put an end to things? No, he couldn't see himself letting go of this hand he was holding. He could deal with this situation. The bombing did not happen specifically because of him. He was just at the wrong place at the wrong time; just like so many other victims. All he needed to be was twice as careful. He was no damsel in distress.

"Okay, I think I get the gist of the situation. I'll be twice as vigilante and I would not give you too much shit if you start ordering me around. Well, I'll try not to."

Sasuke almost released a laugh. The man he was with was amazing with such great adaptability too. He drew him in and kissed his temple. Officially, he had gone over the deep end for Naruto. How could he not?

"Hmm, the most important fact today is that you are alive." Damn, he wanted to kiss the blonde so much.

"I'm too stubborn to die." Naruto relaxed into the embrace. He felt lighter in mood.

"You would have to be. I'll say the same thing you said to me. Don't go dying on me."

The blonde pressed a kiss against the raven's neck. "I won't if you promise me again that you won't."

"I don't like repeating myself."

"Do it for me?" Naruto gave him a poor attempt at puppy dog eyes.

Sasuke chuckled. "I still haven't fucked you yet. I can't die without doing that."

"Shit, you just killed the romantic mood."

"Did I?" The dark-haired man snaked a hand onto his partner's crotch.

"Oi Oi Oi! You can't do that. Shikamaru's asleep right there!"

"Hn, so?"

"Uchiha!"

Sasuke clicked his tongue and stopped his actions. Naruto tugged the wayward hand to his chest. "Hurry up and get me some toothpaste and a toothbrush so I can kiss you."

"Already on my to-do list."

Naruto grinned, so giddy even though the situation around him seemed unfavourable. It was a temporary reprieve from the graveness of his condition and his ex's unknown whereabouts.

"Hmm, I have to leave to attend to some business. No other patients are on this floor. I'll have two of my most trusted guys stay here for security purposes. Other guards will be posted along the floor. I will have Jurou, my personal bodyguard, give you a file with their pictures so you will be familiar with the faces. Additionally, no one is allowed up except Tsunade, your friends and father. You understand right?"

"I get it."

The yakuza leaned down and pressed his lips against his lover's forehead. "I'll visit again as soon as I can."

"I'll be waiting. Also, can you do me another favour before you leave? I would do it myself but I'm not sure how steady I am on my feet." Naruto gave him a sheepish smile. "Can you throw a blanket over Shika there? It's pretty cold and I know he must have been waiting on me for a long time."

"Hn." He complied with Naruto's request then quietly closed the door as he exited.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

A tense silence fell over the table as Uchiha walked into the conference room in the main house. He took a seat next to Shikaku Nara. Before he had come he made a stop at his hotel to wash up a bit and then passed by his coroner/ forensics expert, Kurenai Yuhi, to have her look for Naruto's friend at the crime scene. He gave her a hefty file which contained everything about a Sakura Haruno: from her foot size to her last check up to the dentist. Her reluctance to accept such a troublesome job was swiftly thwarted with the right amount of cash and the fact that he owed her a favour now. She was the best at what she did. So, he knew he would get answers in a short amount of time.

"You're the last to arrive, Uchiha," the irksome voice of Kabuto Yakushi called. Sasuke resisted the urge to shove his Exterminator down his throat.

"Uchiha," his fellow sub-head greeted him.

He nodded his head. "Nara. It's been a while, Mitokado, Utatane."

The other two sub-heads nodded in acknowledgement. Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane were both probably pushing seventy years. However, their old age did not mean that they should be underestimated. Their minds remained sharp and their strategies as well as actions were shrewd and cold-blooded. Sasuke made sure to stay on their good sides. He stayed out of their business and they stayed out of his. They shared a mutual respect for each other's boundaries.

The top brass of the Kimikaze group had gathered. The chief walked in stately shadowed by his loyal secretary, Ryuu whose piercing red eyes ran over the occupants of the room. He regally took a seat at the head of the table. The visible eye remained squinted, hiding his thoughts from his subordinates.

"We all know why we have gathered today. So let's get down to business. What do we do about this fucking nobody-group called Akatsuki?" Kimikaze opened the meeting.


	11. Life Continues in Spite of

**Chapter Ten**

 

Kimikaze and the group’s sub-heads had convened for a meeting at ten in the morning.

“We have so little information about this Akatsuki group,” Nara said.

“It’s because they were only formed recently.” Sasuke inputted.

“You seem to already be acquainted with this group.” Kabuto quipped.

The raven ignored him and continued, “I first met them in Kyushu when one of my offices was attacked.”

“And you didn’t think to report this,” the Chief spoke softly.

“I did report the attack. At the time, it just seemed like a third-rate group causing trouble and the matter was swiftly dealt with. I did what any of you would have done. It hardly seemed like a matter that required me to gather everyone together just to speculate.”

The old woman, Koharu Utatane, voiced, “A valid point. Please continue.”

“I found a letter which indicated that the third-rate group was under a bigger organization. There was no name given to the organization but it seemed that their intention was to take us down. Again, I could not validate the information so I saw no point in bringing the matter to everyone’s attention.”

Kabuto snorted. “Take us down?”

Shikaku turned his head towards Sasuke. “I’m sure you did your own investigations. What did you find?”

“Unsettlingly little. I reached out to my contacts and went after small groups I suspected were affiliated with the organization but only found dead bodies and cold trails. They are surprisingly resourceful and ruthless.”

“That seems troublesome, indeed,” the brunette murmured to himself. He tapped his finger against the scar on his right check, thinking.

“So they formed themselves leaving little to no traces?” the chief probed.

“Yes. I figured that the only way we will get a clear idea of who they were was when they revealed themselves.”

The man with round glasses sniggered to himself. “And right you were. They blew up a section of one of the most densely populated universities in Tokyo then slapped their name and ours over it.”

“Yakushi, you seem to be thinking that this is all fun and games,” the old man, Homura Mitokado, spoke threateningly for the first time since the meeting began. “Stop flapping those useless gums if you don’t have anything useful to say.”

Sasuke mentally gave a satisfied smirk. Useless piece of shit.

Nara began speaking again. “The police has no idea who Akatsuki is and since our name was attached to the letter sent, they will start inhibiting our activities as a criminal organization. We have to decide how we will minimize the backlash.”

“I already have Ryuu working on that. I’ve also called the police commissioner and told him we have as little information about Akatsuki as they do. I advised him that indiscriminately cracking down on our group would produce some unwanted tension and bad blood.”

“It’s only a matter of time before the letter becomes public knowledge though.” Sasuke said.

“Yes, and the public will ignorantly call for the authorities to catch ‘those’ responsible. I say that advice will soon be forgotten,” the aged man said gruffly.

“That means that we have to find out more about this Akatsuki group, huh?” Shikaku said, scratching his head. “Right now, their strength vastly lies in the fact that we don’t know any names, faces or numbers.”

“Leave that to me.” Sasuke said. Six pairs of eyes focused on him intently.

“You say that quite confidently,” Kabuto mocked.

“One of the shitty members of this group happened to fall into my lap yesterday.”

The brunette next to him chuckled.

“Well say that sooner, Uchiha.” Kimikaze scolded. “Did you get any information out of him as yet? Where are you keeping him?”

“I’ve been a little preoccupied with more pressing matters but I intend to start the interrogation today. Where the guy is being kept is a secret to ensure that no complications arise unnecessarily.” He let the implications of him not fully trusting the people present settle heavily in the room. 

Koharu released a wild cackle. “That’s fine with me. You’ve got guts, boy.”

Kimikaze had a smirk on his face as he said, “I want a report on your findings as soon as possible, Uchiha.”

“Understood.”

“Okay, this meeting is adjourned for now. If the police comes knocking, cooperate for now. Let’s not give them a valid reason to detain us. I will contact you if something more urgent arises.” The chief commanded.

They all stood to leave.

“Uchiha, you stay behind.” 

The raven remained standing as the others filed out the room.

“Ryuu, you can leave too.”

“Yes, sir.”

When the two of them were finally alone, Kimikaze sauntered up to the man and ran a hand along his back. Sasuke kept his features stony and repressed his shudder of revulsion. In a way, he knew this was going to happen.

“It’s been quite a while since you’ve last been here, Sasuke,” the chief whispered huskily before running his tongue down along the shell of his ear.

“I was quite busy with my share of work, chief.”

“Don’t call me that when we are alone.” The middle-aged man continued to run his tongue down the pale neck.

Sasuke failed to stop the scowl which formed on his lips. When he was taken in by Kimikaze at the lowest point of his life, he had fallen into this type of relationship. It was hard to refuse the man who gave him everything: food, clothing, money and power. The boss wanted him and at that time, he saw no reason to decline his advances. It was probably a gross oversight on his part. He chalked up that mistake to inexperience and the indifference he felt to matters that concerned him personally. As the years went by, he became more and more revolted by the situation. Due to this, he avoided coming to the main house like the plague. He was grateful to the boss but he hated this. Being in a relationship with Naruto further made him disgusted with this unwanted skinship.

When the man’s hands began to run towards his ass, he smoothly stepped out of his grip. “Danzo, the situation we are in is dire. There are things that need to be done. This can wait.” It was the first time he had refused the boss outright.

“The things will get done. This will only take a fraction of your time. You will not even notice,” he murmured seductively stepping back into the other’s space and running his hands over his groin.

Again, Sasuke sidestepped him and said firmly. “I am very busy and I do not have the time today. Now if you will excuse me.”

Danzo took his arm into a vice-grip as he brushed past. “This is the first time you have denied me. What has changed?”

“A lot. But let’s not have a conversation like this now. There are more pressing matters to focus on.” Sasuke waited for the boss to release him. He had no intention of being disrespectful.

“No, this is an important matter to me. Please enlighten me.”

“I have grown tired of a relationship like this. Truly, I am grateful for all the things you have done for me but I think that I’ve proven myself to be useful many times over in other areas.”

The chief’s face twisted into a frown. “So you want to put a stop to this, is what you are saying?”

Opal eyes stared unwaveringly at his boss. “Yes.”

Danzo chuckled humourlessly. “You’ve gotten yourself a real lover, haven’t you...”

“That is not the point. I am a good asset to you, wouldn’t you say? I’ve tripled your profits, overseen your businesses which are quite successful, organised the men I have been placed in charge with and ensured that only a miniscule of problems come your way. You have my deepest loyalties and the majority of my time is invested in this clan. I am not complaining in anyway. This is my way of repaying you for this life you have given me. This extra physical relationship is just a fickle thing being ended between two adults.”

 “I see,” he released the man he found so tantalizing.

Sasuke bowed respectfully then left.

The rage was blinding. How dare the man he craved for refuse him? When he took Uchiha under his wings, it was mostly so that he could claim the beautiful man as his. His features were what attracted his gaze in the first place. Those flashing dangerous eyes, that remained calm even as he sliced down man after man from an enemy clan, were the first thing to pull him in. Hearing him say, that he was no longer his was mind-numbingly infuriating. Sasuke always allowed himself to be taken even if he had himself a lover. The bullshit he spouted about that not being the point was just that, smelly stinking shit. Angrily he began throwing vases and furniture around. No, he will not just roll over and accept this. Something had to be done.

“Ryuu,” he called as he calmly slicked his messy hair back. The destroyed room contrasted greatly to his poised façade.

“Yes, sir?” the ashen blonde man knelt at the doorway, waiting to receive orders.

“I want you to look into this new lover Sasuke has.”

“As you wish.”

 

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

 

 

Shikamaru jerked awake as his phone continued to ring loudly. A blanket fell from his shoulder and to his lap as he straightened up in the chair. His back and neck protested in agony at the bad position he had fallen asleep in. He glanced over at Naruto who was still asleep. Who covered him with a blanket then? Probably the doctor. He pulled his noisy phone from his pocket and jerked in shock at the time. It was already midday.

“Ino, what’s up?” He ran a hand over his face. Despite the pain, he felt quite rested.

“Shika, we were so worried. You were not answering your phone!”

 “Sorry, I fell asleep. I passed by Tokyo Medical Institute to visit Naruto.”

There was a momentary hush. “Was that man there? Did he stop you from seeing Naru? Did he hurt you?”

“Ino, calm down. I know this is a hard time for you but stop working up yourself unnecessarily. The guy allowed me in. I’m still by Naruto’s bedside, actually.”

“Oh, is he alright?” the blonde woman’s voice still reflected her anxiety.

“Yeah. He’s sleeping right now. The operation was successful. I’m sorry for not calling sooner.”

“Oh thank God! Can we come and see him?”

“Uh, yeah that’s fine.”

“Okay, we’ll be there in a few minutes. Shino is here too.”

“Oh that’s great. Ah, can you bring something to eat with you?”

“Yeah, no problem. See you soon.”

Shikamaru sighed as he pressed the end button. He had at most an hour of peace before his troublesome crew arrived. He tapped his finger against his knee before standing up to stretch. Lazily strolling to the windows dressed with heavy drapes, he peered down into the busy main district bustling about with people who went on with life as usual, unaffected by the tragic events of yesterday. This was what life was- no matter the terrible things that occurred, one had to shake it off quickly or else, become discarded by merciless society. Everyone liked to speak about equality but the blatant truth was – the strong would always dominate the weak.

A rustling sound reached his ears. Glancing behind him, he saw Naruto in the midst of sitting up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

“Heh, I thought you would never wake up.”

The blonde jerked his head in his direction and grinned. “I could say the same for you. It was pretty cute watching you drool all over yourself.”

Oh, he woke up before. That would make a lot of sense. “Hmm you must have been looking in a mirror. The only person I know that can produce a water fountain of drool in his sleep is you. The evidence is on your face as we speak.”

Naruto gasped and hastily began wiping away some wetness on his chin. Ah, Shikamaru got him this time. For this battle, Shika had won this round. He would definitely win the next.

Shikamaru’s face smoothed out into a light almost satisfied expression. If Naruto could joke around like usual with him, he will be all right. But he asked just to make sure. “How are you feeling?”

“I feel nothing; well, maybe a slight buzz. The drugs they have me on are the real stuff, man.”

His best friend chuckled. “Glad to see you can enjoy yourself even in this position.”

“Like water running off a duck’s back,” he agreed.

“Oh, Ino and the rest are coming in a while.”

“Nice. Hope Ino does not smother me with her over-concern-ness.”

Shikamaru raised his left brow, clearly indicating his thoughts on Naruto’s intelligence but he opted to not comment on it. “She can’t help it. Especially with Sakura’s situation looming over all our heads.”

“Ah, it’ll be fine. Someone will find her soon. I’m even having Sasuke look into it. We’ll find her soon.”

“Naruto…” He hated to cut through the optimism in the blonde’s voice, but he had to. There was nothing worse than being severely blindsided by a loved one’s death. “Sakura, she might be-“

“She is all right! She must have walked away before the explosion took place. She might be injured but she is alive,” Naruto stressed in a firm tone.

“That could be a possibility. But there might also be a possibility that she d-,” Shikamaru’s voice broke.

“Don’t say it!” Naruto shouted at the same time. “If it’s so hard to say, then don’t say it in the first place.”

“I want us to be prepared for any possi-”

“Nara,” he growled. “Let’s not talk about this anymore.”

The brunette could see the tight fix of muscles around Naruto’s eyes. He was so stubborn almost to the point of being foolish. His heart beat in agony every time he thought about the chance that their friend might have been a casualty. But as he rolled it around his head a couple times, he knew that he could cope with the situation if it was confirmed. Utter dread filled him when he thought about how Naruto may receive that tragic news. God, he prayed that his best friend was right.

“Okay.” He changed the topic to something trivial.

 

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

 

 

“Our source has confirmed that Hidan has been captured by the Uchiha.” A short red haired man reported monotonously.

The leader stared out of his office’s window, trying to mask his rapidly climbing rage.

“The source said that he had him taken to a hidden location. No one knows for sure but it’s safe to assume that he is still somewhere in Tokyo.” He continued.

The greasy haired man resisted the urge to put a hole into the glass in front of him. Their perfect plan was already beginning to unravel a little at the seams. He had indeed ordered Hidan to kidnap and play with the little blonde the Uchiha had begun fucking. This knowledge had fell into his lap about a month ago. Uchiha changed lovers like he changed clothes so that information was not particularly alarming until that one month mark hit. Livid was he. No one was allowed to become so close to his possession.

He was delighted to know that fate was on his side when the report came in that the dickless blonde visited the very same university they were to blow up. See, he didn’t even have to put forth extra efforts to get rid of his obstacles. That giddiness switched to scorn when he learnt that the twit was still alive, probably hanging on to life like a stubborn cockroach. And thus, he sent Hidan to handle it.

He was surprised at the Uchiha’s quick response and timely appearance at the scene which he learned later on. His incompetent subordinate should have retreated and formulated a modified plan in order to achieve the desired results. No, the sadistic cocksucker dived headfirst into fucking himself majorly. Instead of results, he got radio silence which could only mean that Hidan was dead or screwed over. This current report confirmed his speculations.

“Why the fuck are you all so incompetent?” the leader ground out.

Silence met him and he was tempted to put a bullet in the heads of the two men standing before him. However, that would certainly put a damper to his plans. He liked to think of himself as a reasonable man. He had no doubts that Hidan will not reveal their plans willingly but he also had no reservations about Sasuke’s skill in getting information from his captives. This was a significant problem that cropped up way too soon in the beginning stages of his scheme. Getting the useless fucker back (or killing him) took priority now.

“Do you have a list of Uchiha’s hideouts in Tokyo?”

“Only what our source has provided .We have a list with detailed locations on all Kimikaze’s hideouts. We narrowed down the many to three sites. Uchiha’s name has been associated with them. If we cannot find Hidan with that, then we might have to take more drastic steps or consider the possibility that he is no longer in this area, un.” A blonde, at least two heads taller than his red-haired companion, scratched his ass in boredom as he droned on.

“Okay, take how many men you want and search for him. The force you use is at your discretion. Just get me results.”

Light blue eyes danced with excitement while brown eyes continued its dull stare. “Yes.”

 

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

 

 

Sasuke stepped out of the black Ford, lifting the duffel bag behind him. He had done a little shopping which added a bit more weight to the storage equipment. Taking an almost lazy gait, he passed decrepit apartment buildings into a remote part of the city. He entered a hidden alley and into the most dilapidated warehouse one had ever seen. Masashi and a younger man, he called Aki, followed closely behind. He followed a maze of underground tunnels until he reached another door which was rusted and hardly looked as if it provided any source of protection. The door was not meant for such a reason. It was all for deception. He hardly used this location and he was careful who he shared this location with. The yakuza also drove deceptive routes to throw anyone who might be following off.

The door creaked open as he entered the bleak room. The room was spacious but bare. In a darkened corner of the room, a wooden table sat with a restrained prisoner. Shigeru, one of his men with slighter build but sharper intelligence, rose from his seat near the door.

He shifted his black frames glasses higher up his nose and spoke. “Good afternoon, boss.”

Sasuke nodded in acknowledgement.

“Oh, the smexy walking cock has arrived.” A giggle followed.

“Ah, you are awake.” The yakuza walked to another table and lifted his bag unto it. He turned his head slightly and addressed his subordinate who stood guard. “Has he told you anything important?”

“No. Only that his name is Hidan. The rest of his ramblings were nonsensical.”

“I see.” A deep rumble came from his throat as he neatly lined up some hardware appliances on the table. He shrugged off his coat which Aki took. Rolling up his shirt’s sleeves to his elbows, he ordered Masashi to drag the table closer to the prisoner.

“Well, Hidan, you now have my full attention. We can start the easy way but personally, I prefer the bit more difficult way. More… fulfilling.”

“Oh, we have a fuck load of things in common. But I have to say, fucking up my legs while I was unconscious was a low blow.”

“A pre-emptive measure. I’d be a fool if I had not. Are you in pain?” Empty obsidian eyes ran over the bloody bandages on his lower limbs.

The silver haired man released a hysterical chuckle. “Shit, your indifference is making me shiver. I mean, the pain is a fucking turn on already but you - damn, just fondle my ball sacks already!”

Oh, they were dealing with a masochist. This might prove a slight problem. It might mean things might get messier than he planned. He did not wear the right clothes for that. He let out a minute sigh.

“Let’s just get straight to it. What is Akatsuki and their goals?”

“Oh hoho, you can’t just skip the fucking foreplay! There’s no fun in that.” The captive leered at his enemy, licking his lips.

Why was he trying to be civilized? It was quite obvious that it would not work on a Neanderthal such as this. He picked up a pair of pliers. Not speaking another word, he grabbed a hold of Hidan’s right hand, securing the tool at the edge of the black thumb nail. He gave a strong tug and the nail separated from the skin and connective tissue, allowing the opened blood vessels to release their contents. The Akatsuki punk grunted then began laughing again.

“Ah, I see that the cocksucker in you is causing you to act like a fucking pussy. Damn! Pulling out fingernails is like 1970’s. You’re not going to get anything out of me like this, dickwad. You’re certainly not creative enough. At this rate, I would not be able to connect with my Jashin.”

Fuck, this was getting nowhere. Up the ante?

“Remove his clothes.” He returned to his bag of tricks to retrieve more daunting-looking tools. With this masochist, it came down to his patience and what the man was comfortable with losing, rather than the inflicted pain. For this particular matter, he was in no rush. He did not mind taking his time to sculpt his mark indefinitely into the sick fuck. His only concern was dirtying himself. Checking the sharpness of his seven inch serrated knife, he began his work.

 

 ---

“A-akatsuki is a shitty group made up of shitty ass fuckers who only follow our leader because of the money and opportunity to do whatever we fucking want.” The silver haired man’s words were a bit slurred and muffled. He paused to spit out some blood trickling steadily from a few missing teeth in the back of his mouth.

“Okay, so your leader, what does he want?” Sasuke was calmly perched on a rocky wooden chair which creaked ominously at the tiniest movement.

The yakuza had spent almost five hours torturing the Akatsuki member. The first two hours were long and his efforts only procured foul language, crude sexual jabs and heretic rants about his god, Jashin or something. However, he had learned early in this profession that patience was a vital element in establishing results. It was something that he was somewhat of an expert in when it came to interrogations. So between taking some water breaks and literally throwing salt on Hidan’s open wounds, he made cuts, burns and holes into the other’s skin. It was almost like artwork.

Even through all that, Hidan joked and giggled. Sasuke admitted that in a tiny bit of annoyance, he decided to pull out a few teeth. He really wanted to remove his tongue but that would be disadvantageous. When the fourth hour hit, the masochist began showing weaknesses around the edges. His nasty comments lacked the wit and lustre of a mad man. It was signs that he just needed a little more of a push. Sasuke took to slicing off small body parts slowly; a finger here, a nipple there. When his knife, bit into his precious jewels, Hidan’s face took on a pale colour and he became a bit more cooperative.

“You’re smart, ass-lick. You should have an idea of what he wants by now.”

The yakuza gave him a blank stare. He didn’t think it necessary to return to torture but he was getting agitated due to the roundabout answers. He took on a contemplative look. Maybe, castration was indeed needed.

“H-he, uh, he wants to destroy the Kimikaze group.” Hidan added quickly, a slither of fear sneaking into his eyes for the first time since he was restrained. He was becoming fearful for his balls of glory, especially since the dark-haired man continually glanced at it while lightly running his hand along the handle of his knife. He hated the idea of ratting on his leader but he valued his appendage more. What he would try to do was stick to strictly answering the questions directed to him.

“That is the only thing he wants?”

“That is all I fucking know. He doesn’t share much with his subordinates and frankly, I couldn’t give two fucks even if I tried. I follow orders, get paid and get to kill. What more do I shitting need?"

Sasuke internalized that for a moment. “Hn. What are his reasons for wanting to bring us down?”

“I think in one of his crazy monologues he usually goes into he mentioned something about the Kimikaze group fucking him over. As I said, I have no fucks to give. Ah, but the next most motivating factor is you.”

Sasuke raised a delicate brow.

“No need to be so intrigued. You must know how fuckable you look.” Hidan, despite his weakened, bleeding state, lecherously ran his eyes over the other once again. Damn, the man was indeed a sight for sore eyes.

The raven haired man felt it best not to touch on that and jumped to his next question. “What’s the structure of your organization? Don’t try to skim on any information pertaining to that.”

“Of course not, cocktart. Hmm, I would say that our organization is much like yours except only the boss knows the full structure of it and all the members. We only follow orders.”

“That’s not fucking specific enough. You have a leader. What does that make you?”

“Hmm, I guess I would be a sub-head?”

“I see. How many of you are there?”

“Why not give you my cock on a silver platter instead, dickwad?”

Sasuke stood. “I thought we had established our relationship fully already. I do own your shitty piece of junk. Seems like you are excited to lose it…”

“Wait, wait! A slip of my tongue.” Hidan seethed in his mind. If he was ever to escape here, he would ensure that this dipshit got twice the share of the humiliation and pain he was experiencing. “There are six of us, sub-heads, including me.”

“Descriptions.”

 After a few more attempts at resistance and the yakuza inflicting compound injury upon the captive’s wounds, Hidan gave descriptions of the men but no names. That would suffice for now. He wrote down the descriptions and had Aki take them to a sketch artiste so that he could have his men on the lookout for those faces. The foul mouth shit still gave nothing up about his leader which earned him a small amount of Sasuke’s respect.

“The last question for now: What was your objective for this mission?”

Hidan turned unfocused eyes on him and gave him a shit-eating grin. “To make you public enemy number one, of course.”

Uchiha chuckled. “It would take a lot more for that to happen, especially since you mentioned your group’s name to the police.”

The tied down man began laughing uncontrollably. “Do you really think that that bombing is the only thing we had planned? That was just the beginning. We will rain fucking chaos and death unto the streets of Japan, in the name of Jashin. Blood will freely run along the roads as if it were water. There was a reason why your group’s name was also mentioned in the letter. When the police and citizens are unable to catch us, they would turn to you, the cause of all the violence. Your shitty money and power would not save you from people irrational and broken by death. This is fucking war.” He continued laughing.

Sasuke leaned down, face-to-face with the wounded male. “That that must mean that you getting captured must have put a major kink in your leader’s plans. Right now, you are no longer as anonymous as your plans call for you to be, dumbass.”

A twitch in his lips indicated the smirk which formed when Hidan fell silent. Guess, this guy was all brawn, no brains. If all of the sub-heads were like this piece of shit, then the Kimikaze group might not have to do much; just wait until they sabotage their own plans. But he was not one for optimistic thinking. This guy might just have been the dumbest in the group and luckily fell into his hands. Therefore, he was a valuable asset that had to be kept alive. He might just be the key to pull this leader out of the darkness or force him to make big plays. With big plans, organized at short notice, mistakes were sure to be made.

He turned, pulling off the leather gloves he had put on for the torture session. “Call a doctor to take care of his wounds. Use the same amount of discretion. The Akatsuki cannot find out his location. Have him prepared to move into my territory within forty-eight hours. Should be easier to control things there.” He ordered Shigeru. In Kyoto, he had ears and eyes everywhere. If the Akatsuki were to make any moves, he would know.

As he slipped into a black Sedan Masashi had prepared a few blocks away from the hideout, his phone rang. He lit a cigarette then pressed the call button. Damn, he was tired.

“Hn.”

“Uchiha, I found out what you asked for.” It was Kurenai Yuhi.

Oh, right. This was one problem he wished he did not have to deal with personally. “Well?”

“Haruno is dead. It was fucking hard dealing with the official coroners and police. Almost did not get to exam the many bodies -well more like body parts- that were transported to various mortuaries within the city. I lucked out on the first one I went to. It’s like a complicated game of jigsaw puzzles trying to piece parts together, tagging where the bodies were found and-“

“Fucking get to the point.”

“I found the woman’s body. Most of her limbs were missing and the left upper limb’s fingers were so burned I could not identify her with fingerprints. Had to use DNA testing and dental records. Apparently she was very close to one of the bombs that went off. Her death was instant with massive damage to her frontal and left temporal lobes. I will make a report and have it sent to you. I don’t know when I could though. I’m stuck here now identifying other corpses and the cause of their deaths. The head coroner said since I stuck my nose into this, I have to see it through to the end.”

Sasuke ignored her last statement. “Just have it prepared within the next two days. Call when it’s ready and I’ll have someone sent to pick it up.”

“Will do. Don’t forget you owe me big time.”

“Hn.” He hung up.

Pulling in a lungful of the nicotine, he settled into the leather seat. Guess he had to give the bad news to his dobe. He ignored the reluctance building within him and ordered Masashi to take him to his hotel. He could not go to Naruto smelling of blood.

 

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

 

 

His friends had been here for hours now. The sky had turned shades of warm colours as dusk descended. Naruto grinned happy for the company. It was so long since they all came together. Shino was being a usual creep, talking about his bugs at any moment he could. He even brought some oversized beetle that was the product of his lab experiments. Ino had released a girlish scream and jumped behind Shika for cover. Shino gushed about the insect’s cuteness and went into details of mixing genes and the breeding process. Naruto held his stomach as he laughed his ass off at the other’s expressions. Hinata smiled politely, forcing herself to listen to the story. Kiba and Ino wore disgusted expressions and opted to sit the furthest away from their bug friend. Neji’s bored look was slowly turning into one of exasperation and annoyance while his best friend blankly stared into the sky.

Their light mood and playful wisecracks at each other, covered the void they felt at their missing friend. Naruto, at more than one occasions, assured them that their friend would be found soon. No one wanted to be the one to break the pleasant mood so they shied away from the dismal topic.

“But man, this room is really something.” Kiba commented, as he went to the big steel sink at the corner of the room to wash his hand of the food he had eaten.

The room was really big; bigger than Naruto’s own with plush couches and chairs around. There were sturdy, antique-looking tables placed stylishly around the room. A flat screen smart TV was mounted on the wall opposite his bed. The bathroom looked like a hotel room’s - only with a white colour scheme. Centrepieces of flowers or odd figurines were placed tastefully in areas which appeared bare. Indeed, this screamed of elite-class treatment.

“It is. But the food sucks.”

“Well, you can’t change that aspect of any hospital.” Neji said with a smirk.

“Eh, but Naruto you can eat anything. Well, except pepper.” Ino giggled.

The blonde felt a pang in his chest. He ignored it.

“He’s just upset that the doctor restricted him to a liquids-only diet,” Shikamaru spoke up.

“You can’t expect a grown man to live off of liquids only. That’s torture. Besides, the drink they gave me smells like ass and tastes more like shit.” Naruto twisted his face in distaste.

“Oh? You know what shit tastes like?” Shino grinned and the blonde knew his eyes danced in evil delight behind his sunglasses. “I will store that for future reference.”

“Y-you know what I mean!”

“No, we don’t actually.” Kiba chuckled.

Hinata covered her mouth that obviously displayed an amused smile.

“Come on, guys. Don’t hold this over me.”

“Maybe this will be a lesson to think before speaking.” Neji’s eyes sparkled in laughter.

“You know that will never happen.” Shikamaru shook his head in mock pity.

“So true,” Kiba said, lament in his voice.

“I will dump all of you!” Naruto remarked monotonously.

This caused them to fall into a fit of laughter. The blonde male smiled. He was happy that they were not as upset and subdued as they were when they entered his room. After a few minutes of jokes at Naruto’s expense, Ino changed the topic.

“So, I will ask since no one wants to bring it up. Who exactly is the guy who brought you to this hospital?”

All eyes except Shikamaru’s own focused on the patient. The blonde shifted in his bed uncomfortably, making him realize that he suddenly needed to pee badly. He had practised this conversation over and over in his mind but it seems the real thing was a lot more frightening.

He took a deep breath. “That would be Sasuke Uchiha, my current love interest.”

The quietude which descended upon the room was suffocating. Naruto looked at his lap and shifted in his bed again nervously. He really wanted acceptance.

“S-since w-w-when?” Hinata stuttered out.

Naruto scratched the back of his head. “Ah, it was a little touch-and-go at the beginning. But I think we were dating for more or less a month now.”

“And you never thought to tell us this?” Ino snapped.

Naruto glared at her. Yeah, he was going to tell them his situation but it was not an obligation. It was something he was going to do because he felt as friends he should be open with them. “You don’t tell me all the details of your relationships immediately when you enter them. Why do I have to do the same? Stop with the double standards.”

“That’s fine and all but were you really ever going to tell us?” Kiba asked almost inaudibly.

“I was. But shit happened, you know.” The blonde ran his hand over his face. He paused, then added, “A-and I was terrified of how you guys would react to, uh, this.”

“Naruto, did you think that we would stop being friends because of this? I’m a little hurt that you think so little of us who have been with you for so long.” Hinata said, blinking rapidly.

There were little murmurs of agreement around the room.

“I’m gay.” Shino interjected.

All eyes turned on him.

“Dude, you looked for the easy way out, didn’t you? The perfect opportunity,” Kiba remarked in a deadpan voice.

“Of course. I was looking for an opportunity when one of you came out to say that they were homosexual. That way I would have company.” Shino said in almost a smug manner.

The situation was so ridiculous that everyone could not help but laugh. Naruto shook his head. Why did he think that his shifted orientation was the end of the world? Dramatic much. He felt a whole lot better after his laughter died with a few chuckles.

“Okay, now that we have established that let’s move on to the really bothersome part, Naruto.” Neji cleared his throat.

The blonde gave him a confused look. If having a boyfriend was not the troublesome part, what was?

“How well do you know your love interest?”

Oh, fuck. This was something he had planned never to disclose to them. He glanced towards Shikamaru who gave him a bored look. Wait, that look meant that he knew. What? What happened when he was unconscious? His best friend glanced back out the window, telepathically telling him he was on his own.

“I, uh, I would like to think I know the most important parts about him.” He weakly responded.

“He carries weapons and shot someone in front of us!” Ino almost shouted.

What the hell? Sasuke had told him an Akatsuki member had tried to attack him yesterday. But he fucking omitted the details on how he handled the situation. If he had told him, he would not be all flustered trying to make up something that did not paint Sasuke in a bad light. Well, the yakuza already did that all on his own. Maybe he could do damage control? Who was he kidding? His friends all had over average intelligence. He could not bullshit his way out of anything.

“Fuck.” The blonde man released the word in a long sigh.

“You did not know.” Kiba stated.

“No I did not know that he was carrying weapons. He never did so when he was with me.”

“We should report this to the police right away.” Ino said heatedly.

“You can’t. I knew who he was before I entered a relationship with him. If he pulled a gun on someone, he did it to protect me. I am certainly pissed that he did that in front of you guys but he’s not as bad as you think he is.”

“I was not there but please share with us who exactly he is,” Shino said, his voice surprisingly strict.

Naruto’s eyebrows scrunched in indecision. He knew they would get even more upset if he told them. Yeah, they had a right to know after what they had witnessed first-hand but he did not want to be the person tarnishing Uchiha’s reputation to his friends – as irrational as that sounded.

“He’s yakuza,” Shikamaru spoke up.

Wide eyes shot in the brunette’s direction then settled back on Naruto.

“Shika-,” Naruto started angrily.

“They have a right to know now!” his best friend shouted back at him. It shocked him into silence. “Do you understand that whatever is going on, we are all involved in it now, right?”

“I-I,” Naruto clenched his hands around the sheets covering his legs.

“You could have kept it a secret if it was just an innocent relationship that wasn’t pulling you into a shitload of danger. You don’t get to say that it is none of our business. That we should pack up our shit and leave you alone until whatever shit-storm brewing between Sasuke’s group and Akatsuki is over. You know us better than that, you know me better than that.”

“You spoke with him.”

Shikamaru stood and turned his body towards the window. “That does not matter. The fact is that you are in the crosshairs of this street war. We have the right to know that, damn it.”

“Shika.” Frankly, the blonde could not argue with anything his best friend said. They were true to some extent.

The brunette chuckled dryly. “What the hell have you gotten into?”

“D-did the bombing at Shimiya University have something to do with Naruto?” Hinata’s face was a deadly white.

“No, not at all. It was an unfortunate coincidence. Apparently, Akatsuki, the group responsible for the attack, just wanted a location with a large number of people. It could have been a train station or even an airport. We were caught up in it by chance.” Naruto firmly stated.

“And you know so much because you got it from the horse’s mouth himself, huh.” Neji said, his voice not quite readable.

“Don’t get it twisted. Sasuke and his group did not start any of this. Akatsuki picked a fight out of nowhere. They are the ones responsible for what’s going on right now. Before this, Uchiha ensured that his personal life did not mess with my own. So, don’t you dare piss me off by saying otherwise. I’m not a child that cannot rationalize shit and you don’t have the right to tell me what I should or should not do; what would make me happy or not. You can voice your opinions but at the end of the day, it comes down to my choice. If I thought that he was responsible for this, I would have fucking dumped his ass in a heartbeat.”

“You are still involved in whatever this is. You said he pulled a gun to protect you. Doesn’t that mean Akatsuki is targeting you?” Kiba leaned over, propping himself on his knees.

“I’ll be careful. Besides, breaking up with him would not change that fact. What’s done is done. Please, don’t make me choose between him and you guys.”

Kiba stood and kicked his chair angrily. “That was never a choice, dumbass.”

“Can’t you see that we are just worried?” Ino said softly.

“I know. Damn, I’m sorry.” Naruto ruffled his hair in frustration.

Everyone took a moment to let their emotions and temper taper down.

“I think we can all agree that we are worried about this yakuza fellow. But if you are happy with him, we are not going to say anything about it. However, we have to be kept in the loop. That’s all we want. We want to know if there is anything we can do if shit goes up in flames. That was always the way it was before. This situation does not change anything. We believe you when you say Uchiha is not responsible. I think we are just upset that your relationship dragged you into this mess. We’ll get over it… eventually.” Shino voiced on behalf of the group.

Naruto gave a watery smile. He always thought he was fortunately blessed to have such awesome friends.

“I’ll keep you informed. I promise.”

“Hn. I don’t like the bastard. I hope his second impression will be a bit better if we meet again,” Kiba grumbled as he resettled in his chair.

“Well, I can’t help with that. He was a raging bastard when I met him and he still is. But he is a good person… deep down inside.”

Shikamaru shook his head. “Naruto, shut up. You’re not helping your case at all.”

Naruto chuckled, rubbing his neck. “I was trying.”

“God, you’re such an idiot.” A small smile slipped unto his face.

Just then, the door opened.

“Tsk.” Speaking of the devil, Sasuke strolled into the room with grace and a quiet but fearsome aura. His onyx hair, still damp from the shower he had taken less than thirty minutes, was slicked back. The white shirt and black slacks looked perfectly delicious on him as usual with the top few buttons of his shirt left open. He had also rolled his shirt to his forearms. For the sake of meeting Naruto, he had given his shoulder holster with his weapons to Jurou for temporary keeping. His sharp obsidian eyes glanced at occupants of the too-full room with displeasure. It was just a slight twinge in the muscles of his unnaturally attractive face but it was quite obvious the disgust displayed.

“Jurou, get Tsunade. Tell her I need Naruto’s guests escorted out.”

“Yes,” he turned to leave but Naruto’s voice stopped him.

“Wait. Sasuke, it’s fine if they stay. I want them to.”

Annoyance began its unwanted entry. The yakuza did not want an audience for what he was about to tell Naruto.

“Then, they can wait outside. I have something of importance to tell you.”

Naruto’s heart sank. He just knew that whatever he had to say would not be good.

Sasuke decided that he should attempt to be civil and actually address Naruto’s friends. “Step outside and give us some privacy.”

“Whatever you have to say to Naruto, you can say in front of us,” Ino said, putting up a brave front.

In a move that was unexpected, Uchiha swiped the vase of flowers next to him to the floor then kicked the table over. The noise of the crashing vase and fallen table was deafening and prompted silence in the individuals. The yakuza calmly run his fingers through his hair to fix the strands that had fallen into his face in his momentary lapse of control.

“Don’t make me repeat myself,” Sasuke uttered monotonously, his voice not portraying the violence he indulged in just seconds ago.

Shikamaru was the first to exit the room; the others slowly followed. Their reluctance to leave was quite obvious.

“What the fuck was that?”  Naruto growled as soon as the door clicked closed.

“Had a long day.” The other male walked to the bed, pulling a chair up, then sat.

“That does not excuse your behaviour. You don’t get to treat my friends like trash.” Naruto flinched away from the hand that made to touch his.

“I’m not in the best mood, all right.” Sasuke ran his hands down his face. “Insubordination is something I find hard to deal with, especially from strangers.”

“That’s not an excuse. You will have to learn to treat them a little better.”

“Sure,” was his flippant response. It was meant to appease the blonde. He did not come here for a fight.

Naruto sighed. He did not want to argue as well. “Your day was that bad?”

“Hmm, not bad, long.” He felt a little relieved when the blonde laced his fingers with his.

“Want to sleep?”

“Still have some things to do.”

“I see.” The smaller male squeezed his hand.

How should Sasuke breach this heavy topic? He leaned closer, ensuring that he kept eye contact with the cerulean eyes.

“I looked into what you asked.”

Naruto stared intently back into unwavering dark eyes. They were unreadable as ever yet the blonde knew. He swallowed loudly. “What did you find out?” He needed to hear the words.

“Naruto, Sakura Haruno died in the explosion.”

His breath exited his mouth in a rush as if he was dealt a blow to the stomach. He closed his eyes to hide the pain that felt almost physical. His jaw trembled with the effort to not audibly voice his agony. Sakura, his friend, his ex-lover, was no longer in this world. It felt so surreal. Just yesterday, she was smiling at him; acting like a fool with him. Her stupid pranks, intruding questions and bold personality on par with her pink hair was forever gone. She was supposed to introduce him to her new boyfriend, Kei Kagamine. He was supposed to pay her back for tricking him into eating spicy food. Who was going to cry at atrocious performances depicting supernatural characters?

Naruto released a silent scream as tears welled up into his eyes. He felt as if he was breaking apart. His chest hurt so much. Taking a gasping breath, he used his unoccupied arm to cover his face. Strong arms encircled him and it made him feel even more broken, bitter. His silent tears switched into full out sobbing. He clutched tightly to the back of Sasuke shirt as he pressed his face to his chest. He felt so angry, so disconsolate. He cried and cried until his throat felt sore, he felt as if breathing was difficult. Oh how he wished he could turn back time and drag Sakura with him to that vending machine or something. Anything to escape this sorrowful situation.

All the while, Sasuke remained his solid anchor to reality. Even though the pain was immense, the other’s presence made him feel as if he could deal with it. He tightened the grip on the raven’s shirt. He felt fingers slide into his hair. Time passed and his sobs slowly turned into silent tears. Even though, he knew he should, he didn’t release his grip on Uchiha.

“Do you want me to stay?”

The blonde gave a small nod. Sasuke shifted the other a bit to the side, careful of the IV and his wounds, then climbed in next to him. It felt so foreign for him to comfort someone.

“What do you want me to do?”

“Just stay there.” Naruto’s hoarse voice said. He burrowed his face into the other chest and relaxed into the other’s embrace. Sasuke’s scent of old spice and that which was uniquely him lulled him into a temporary state of comfort.

Sasuke laid back listening to the shuddering breaths his lover took, knowing that he had not finished weeping just yet. He wanted to take this pain away.

“How did she die?”

“We can continue this conversation another time.” The response left no room for discussion.

“Fuck, I left snot and tears all over you.”

“Hn, I’ll send you the dry cleaning bill.”

Naruto chuckled softly. They slipped into silence.

When the blonde’s breathing became steady, Uchiha knew that he had fallen asleep. Before he could follow through with his urge to wipe the dobe’s tears from his face, the door opened. Luckily, it was just Jurou.

“Sir, Naruto’s friends are restless. They want to come back in.”

“Send them home.”

“Yes, sir.”

The door reclosed.

He felt confused about what his emotions were at that moment. Angry? Upset? Uncomfortable? The only thing clear was that he wanted, no, needed to protect Naruto. No matter the outcome of this madness, he will ensure that he would be there to pick up the pieces of Naruto’s life… if it ever came to that. He allowed his lover’s breathing to lull him into a light sleep.

 

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

 

 

The vibration of his phone woke him up. He checked the time on the device – minutes to one in the morning. Also, why the hell was Ryuu calling him?

“What?” He answered the phone.

“Uchiha, we have a situation.” The chief’s secretary said briskly.

“Which is?”

“Three of our hideouts were attacked within the last two hours. They were supposed to be secret locations that only the top people of our group should have known of.”

Sasuke sat up, careful not to jar Naruto too much. “Do you know who the attackers were?”

“Akatsuki. One of the survivors said that they were apparently looking for the member you caught.”

“Hn.”

“You know what this means right.”

One of the people they sat with yesterday in their meeting was a fucking traitor.

“How many people did we lose?”

“Close to one hundred of our men. The crazy bastards used explosives and sprayed bullets indiscriminately. Stray bullets hit civilians too. The police are having a fucking field day. If we wanted to keep them out of our hair before, then it would be infinitely more difficult now. Keep your circle of confidences small and I don’t think I have to tell you to be extra careful.”

“Hn. Is there anything you want me to do?”

“No, just try not to do anything to draw the authorities’ attention to you. I’ll try to root out the traitor from my end.”

“I think it’s safe to say that Nara’s clear.”

“I think that as well but at this point it’s better safe than sorry. The chief is pissed beyond words.”

“Shit. The last thing we need is opposition within our group too. Get one up on them and we get fucked from behind by our own.”

“You don’t have to tell me.”

The yakuza closed his eyes, instantly feeling weary again. If he had any suspicions on who was the snitch, he would say it was Kabuto. But that was only because he did not like him. It would do him good to be unbiased; otherwise he would place them in further hot waters.

“Keep me updated. I’ll send what I found out from the Akatsuki member to you later on today.”

“Okay. Keep your eyes peeled.”

Sasuke grunted then hung up. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. Things just got a bit more complicated. It was probably better to get Naruto transferred back to Kyoto as soon as possible. He would have better control there. An informant in their top ranks meant that they did not stand as a united front against Akatsuki. Whoever had ratted out the group’s hideouts to the enemy was a fucking dumbshit though. He had clearly said that the hideout he had the captive at was a place only he and his own knew of. Unless they took that to mean that it was someplace that was rarely used by the chief but he had used on occasions. It was still a stupid move that alerted them to his/her presence. He actually felt sorry for the poor fucker when he/ she was smoked out. Betrayal was the top no-no in this business.

“Is everything all right?”

He opened his eyes to meet red rimmed, puffy blue eyes.

“Yeah.”

“It did not sound that way.” Naruto sat up.

“How long have you been awake?”

“Your voice woke me up. Had trouble sleeping.”

“Hmm.” Sasuke ran his thumb under a swollen eye. “Do you want me to get you something to sleep?”

“No. I’m already hooked up on enough drugs. You did not give me a clear answer earlier.”

“Just let me deal with the problems concerning me only. You have enough on your plate.”

Naruto frowned.

“Are you going to start a fight over this?”

“No.”

The blonde swung his feet over the edge of his bed.

“Where are you going?”

“Toilet.”

Sasuke sighed and stood, moving to his side of the bed. He clutched unto his right arm and helped him to his feet.

“I can go on my own, you know.”

“You’ve proven on multiple occasions how capable you are,” the other said dryly.

“Tch.”

Naruto did his business in the toilet, forcing the other to look away. Sasuke was almost attempted to remind him that it wasn’t anything he had not seen before but thought better of it. The blonde did not seem to be in the mood for it. He watched as the blonde washed his hands and splashed some water onto his face lethargically.

Dragging his IV stand along with him, he re-entered the hospital room. He looked out the window at the dark sky which reflected his internal atmosphere. After some persuasion, Sasuke allowed him to sit on a couch. He was tired of lying down and sleeping only offered him a marathon of nightmares and horrors.    

Sasuke took a seat next to him. Neither said anything for a while.

“When can I leave the hospital?”

“As soon as Tsunade gives the okay.”

“Have you told my other friends about Sakura?”

“No. Did you want me to?”

“Not at all. It just means that I will have to. I feel like a fool, telling them that Sakura was still alive.”

Sasuke didn’t have anything to say to that so he gazed outside with his lover.

“Oh, shit. I forgot to contact my boss. With the amount of work I’ve been missing, I’m sure to get fired soon.”

“Hatake will understand. I’ll call him later on today.”

Cerulean eyes turned towards him. “It’s my responsibility to call. Stop trying to do everything for me. I’m not an invalid.”

Naruto was obviously rallying for a fight.  He had enough battles to manage; this will not be one of them. “If that’s what you want,” he said simply.

“I want to pretend that none of this happened. Maybe take a long vacation and not deal with this.”

“I would be all for shipping you out of the country and keeping you confined to a remote but comfortable location until everything settles down here. However, I just know you would not last even twenty-four hours before you start squealing about returning home. Besides, you have loose ends that you have to tie up, don’t you?”

“Yeah. We have a funeral to plan. I can’t miss that. I need to get it together.” He swiped a stray tear from the corner of his eye.

“You are sure that you don’t want something to put you to sleep?”

“You would love to have me all drugged up and incoherent, wouldn’t you?”

Sasuke just gave him a vague lazy smirk that did funny things to his stomach despite his depression.

“Fuck you,” Naruto said playfully, holding back a laugh.

Sasuke raised a suggestive brow and the blonde released a tiny laugh. If he was honest with himself, his eyes were burning with the need to sleep. But every time he closed his eyes, visions of his friend’s corpse haunted him is grotesque images of scotched flesh, missing body parts and gory wounds. He shuddered in horror. Damn, he needed to see her body but at the same time, he was terrified to do so.

“After the funeral, anything you want to do, I’ll make happen.”

“You would?”

“Well once it’s sensical.”

“Ah, you’re pussying out now.”

“See, I forgot to take your iffy personality in count.”

Naruto chuckled, shaking his head. “I like to think that my uniquely spontaneous personality is the best aspect of me. It’s where my creativeness and overall awesomeness come from.”

The other gave him a blank stare which caused his grin to widen.

“Don’t act like you don’t like what you see. I know it’s more than my tan luscious body which reeled you in,” Naruto joked.  

“Well…” The yakuza said obscurely allowing his sight to provocatively slide over the blonde’s chest and stay on his lower regions. “Want me to take your mind off of everything?”

The blonde swallowed audibly. The mood had switched from light to hot and heavy in a mere second. He was about to let himself get lost within that abyss of pleasure but then stopped himself. Not now. Taking his mind off the pain was not dealing with it.

“How do you deal with someone close dying?” He said instead, a stickler for pain.

A breath of air blew past those pale lips. “Everyone dies. It’s something I learned quite early in life. I suppose I’m not as affected by death as an average person is so my take on it is somewhat indifferent. Though what I would say is that life goes on for the living.”

 

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

 

 

In the end, it was Sasuke who callously told Naruto’s friends about Sakura’s death the next morning.  He left before the messy emotions erupted. Later he found out that his plans to move Naruto back to Kyoto by Monday was pushed in the backseat. Apparently, they had planned to have her funeral within the upcoming week. He had to pull some more strings to have the body released into their custody around Tuesday. By Friday, the funeral planners had everything ready and everyone related to the Biology professor had been notified. Uchiha had made it non-negotiable that the service must be held in a secure location of his choosing. Tsunade gave the okay for Naruto to be discharged from the hospital with strict instructions about aftercare and restrictions on strenuous activities.

Sasuke was operating on an average of three hours of sleep a day. More responsibilities were thrust upon him due to the unreliability of the other sub-heads. They were also dealing with constant interrogations from the police. He had warned the chief to keep them off him because he was not certain that he would not do anything to offend the ‘officers of justice’. Kimikaze did a satisfying job so far. It did not help that Akatsuki were still indiscriminately killing civilians and messing with the Chinese and Korean mafia. Things were slowly spirally out of control. He didn’t think the police on their own could do shit when everyone in the underworld began arming themselves to retaliate. Ultimately, it came down to the Kimikaze group to put a leash on Akatsuki before shit really hit the fan.

Despite his hefty schedule, there he stood next to Naruto, a detached expression on his face as he watched relatives, friends and acquaintances enter the room. He was using one of his branch company’s conference room in Tokyo. The workers’ luckily got a holiday that day and he could traffic and monitor the people who entered. Of course, he had done background checks on everyone, verifying who they said they were. They had catered for about two hundred people. Apparently, the deceased woman was well-known. The first and second rows on the right of the aisle were occupied by Naruto, his six friends, Haruno’s parents and Naruto’s foster father, Iruka Umino. Hatake entered as the minister stood to begin the service. Sasuke gave a subtle nod of acknowledgement. The grey-haired man had told his secretary to just take an extended vacation. He had already hired a temporary worker.

As the minister began speaking, Sasuke zoned out, trying to ignore the dreary atmosphere and the annoying sniffles of the inconsolable masses. He hated funerals. Naruto sat beside him, looking smart in his black suit and an unnaturally blank face. Some still threw curious looks in his direction which he pointedly disregarded. His attention was grabbed when Mebuki Haruno walked to the front and began to speak about her daughter. It was interesting seeing her pause in the middle of her speech, then beginning to tearfully call for her child. Her husband immediately rushed to her side, embracing her. The speech officially ended when she began wailing loudly, becoming weak in the knees. Kizashi had to practically life her up and take her back to her seat. That display seemed to set the audience into flurry of loudened sniffles and an increase in tears.

All these antics just for a dead person? Uchiha could not understand. He thought that crying for the dead was disrespectful to them. To honour them, all he had to do was be present and give his silent blessings. The dead could not hear their pleas and cries to return. Expending so much energy was not going to change anything. But then again, he could not remember the pain of losing anyone close. The death of his family, years ago, did leave him with an impressionable mark but there was no associated agony. He did feel a sense of emptiness though.

Although he had seen the dead bodies of his parents in person, he had not seen his brother’s. The police told him that they assumed he was also killed since they could not find his body anywhere even though there were stains of his blood in his room. When Kakashi had forced him to go to a shrink, he was told that his mind had turned apathetic to protect him from the trauma. That was the last time he went to hear such bullshit.

This entire spectacle of a funeral was unnecessary and pointless. He reckoned that half the people who were making so much noise did not even know the chick personally. The only reason he was attending was because Naruto asked him to. In a way, he was pleased that the blonde felt his presence to be more supporting than his friends and family. He glanced beside him. Naruto sat, still stony-faced.

Next, Yamaguchi stood with Nara Shikamaru’s support and shuffled to the front. Her puffy eyes squinted into a paper and she began reading Sakura’s eulogy in a trembling voice.

“I met Sakura Haruno when I was five years old at Suki’s Elementary. I instantly knew that we would be best friends the moment we fought over who would get our crush first. We had very similar tastes which created many good times… and bad. Because of her, I met the wonderful friends we have today. Gosh, she and I always fought over the most trivial things. But right now, I can’t even remember even one fight. My best friend was a strong, independent women. Always spoke her mind; always had our backs; always told us off frankly when we were doing –pardon my French- shit. If you knew Sakura personally, you would know how she was always the first person to help when you were in trouble even if she didn’t know what the hell to do to fix the problem. She was like the sister I never had.” She paused, overwhelmed by her emotions. She quickly wiped some tears away then crumpled the paper in her hands.

“These may just seem like clichéd statements that are usually made when someone has passed away. However, to me, there are no words to describe the void I feel –we feel- in our lives. She always seemed to brighten up the mood whenever we had fights in our group of friends. Her love for the supernatural seemed almost unhealthy. Even though it was her most hated feature, she wore her huge forehead with pride. We often joked about which transport would be most suitable to land on it. We quickly learned to keep those jabs to ourselves when we found ourselves sporting some serious bruises. Naruto got the brunt of the beatings though since he never seemed to learn.” Naruto chuckled softly.

“It feels so unfair that such a bright existence was stolen from us. It was too soon. And while we feel so much regret and sorrow, we will always remember Sakura Haruno- our beautiful friend, a loving daughter, a wonderful and capable professor, a passionate lover; overall unforgettable. Although no words can really help to ease the loss that we bear, by keeping her in our hearts, someday, it will become bearable. There is a quote which says, ‘there are special people in our lives who never leave us.... even after they are gone.’ I believe that fits our Sakura perfectly.”

Ino was forced to stop again when her sobbing rendered her incapable of speaking. Shikamaru rubbed comforting circles on her back. After about a minute, she took a deep breath and spoke through her weeping.

“Lastly, I have say to you, Sakura. We will definitely mourn your untimely death for a long while to come but we will live strong as you would want us to. You will be greatly missed but rest in peace, my dear friend. We will always love you.”

She was slowly led back to her seat, weeping dolefully. Those who weren’t crying at the beginning, definitely were now. Even Kizashi was hastily dabbing at his eyes. Naruto too wiped at the wetness at the corner of his eyes.

“Don’t look,” he snapped when Sasuke turned in his direction.

Uchiha restrained himself from reminding him that he had already seen him cry. People really became irrational in their time of lament. The blonde threaded his fingers through his hand and pulled it into the space between them to hide their connected hands. Sasuke allowed him to. Guess this is what it meant to spoil one’s lover rotten. He was already thinking of the many ways they could take Naruto’s mind off his grief when all this ended.

The ordained minister closed off the service and reminded the audience of the burial’s location. People began walking up to the closed casket, laying bouquets of flowers on and around it. Many came up to the family and friends to express their condolences. The yakuza released his lover’s hand and stood to the side away from the bubble of sentimentality. He watched as Naruto plastered a fake smile on his face and greeted friends, maybe acquaintances and even strangers. Inuzuka and the male Hyuuga threw some withering looks his way which stroked his amusement. Everyone seemed to wear the swollen and red face. Some wore it better than others. Iruka came up to his dobe and enveloped him in a warm hug. The blonde returned it enthusiastically. They stood like that for a long time. His observations were interrupted when Kakashi walked up to him.

“I’m surprised you did so much for my employee. Obviously, there is something more that you are not telling me.”

“Hn.”   

“Uchiha.”

The raven sighed. It was not a secret. “Naruto and I are dating.”

“Huh,” the middle-aged man answered vaguely. “When did this happen?”

“Some time last month.”

“Well, I guess I have no right to scold you. Just make sure you protect him properly.”

“What do you think I’m doing?”

“I’m impressed with the security here. Bet a lot of people were confused as to why the funeral was taking place in a big company building known for their high-tech electronics.”

Sasuke shrugged.

Hatake lowered his voice. “Akatsuki is making bigger and bolder moves. Apparently, they are looking for the member that you took. At the same time, they are attacking all the foreign mafia groups and messing with their business endeavours. It’s only going to be a matter of time before they retaliate. The police will have no control and would most likely call in bigger guns. When that happens, everyone is going to get round up. Even those who are only suspected of being involved. That includes you. And that is just on the police side of things. Akatsuki might target you personally very soon.”

The dark man ruffled his hair and clicked his tongue. “You don’t have to tell me that. I know. I wanted to fly back to Kyoto as soon as possible and fortify things; but as you can see, it’s currently out of my hands.”

Kakashi leaned on the wall beside him, shoving his hands in his pocket. “Have you found out any significant information from the captive?”

“I have sketch drawings of the sub-heads of the group. There are six of them. Don’t have their names but that’s not important. I’ll send you the sketchings as soon as possible. The little shit didn’t give me anything about their leader but I will get something after round two of interrogation. Their goal of making us public enemy number one is close to completion. However, I just have to shove the Akatsuki member in the police’s face and their plans turn to mush. The police will now have a face to pin their crimes upon. That’s why they are making such wild moves.”

“Careful. A desperate animal is usually the most dangerous. Stop playing games and get the job done.”

“Don’t bullshit me. I’m not sitting on my ass twiddling my thumbs.”

“You’re obviously not on your ‘A’ game. Don’t let an unfortunate incident force you to start taking definite action. A source of mine tells me that Akatsuki making their move on you will not be far in the future.”

“You told me that already.”

“I’m reiterating the gravity of the situation for you. Prepare yourself. If mobilizing Kimikaze’s forces will draw too much attention to your group, there is always the Jinchuuriki.”

“Shit, I don’t want to call on them right now. It will be a waste of the favour they owe to me. I have a handle on things, Hatake.”

The other man gave him a long unreadable look, then glanced away. “Even if I don’t say it all the time, I do worry about you.”

“Don’t be so fucking mushy.” Sasuke murmured.

Kakashi chuckled lightly and said quickly as Naruto began to approach them with Iruka, “Just call me if things get a bit sticky.”

As the blonde reached them, the CEO addressed him. “Naruto, my condolences on your loss.”

“Thank you, Hatake. I really appreciate it.” Naruto gave a small smile. “Ah, this is my father, Iruka Umino. Dad, this is my boss, Kakashi Umino and this is my lover, Sasuke Uchiha.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” Kakashi smile as he shook the shorter man’s hand. He reminded him of a dolphin with a scar across his nose. “Naruto, you never told me you had such a young good-looking father. If I knew, I would have made it a point to meet you sooner.”

The brunette flushed a little. “Oh, surely you exaggerate. Thank you for taking care of my boy.”

He then turned to Sasuke and took his hand into a firm handshake. “Nice to meet you, Sasuke. I had approximately a day to get my head wrapped around Naruto’s new relationship. I scolded him for not telling me sooner otherwise I would have invited you over for lunch already. Please continue to look over my son.”

For once, Sasuke seemed lost as to what to respond with. He really did not expect Naruto to tell his foster parent then introduce them like this. Well, in a way, he did sign up for this. “I will. Pleasure is all mine,” his baritone voice recited smoothly.

Iruka smiled brightly and released his hand. “I hope that we could speak at length sometime soon.”

“When there is an opening in my schedule…” the yakuza promised emptily.

“We should be moving to the burial site now,” Naruto spoke up.

“Sorry Naruto, I have a prior meeting that I can’t afford to miss in the next hour.” His boss said.

“That’s fine. I appreciate the time you took out of your busy schedule to come.”

“Take care. Contact me when you are at full health to restart work.”

“Naruto, you are sick?” Iruka’s eyes sharply turned on his son.

The blonde glared at the nuisance as he playful winked at him apologetically and fled the scene.

“Not exactly,” he responded.

“What does that mean? You better give me a straightforward answer, young man.”

“Mr. Umino, everyone has almost left. We better follow or else we will be late for the burial,” Sasuke said, mustering as much politeness as he could. It felt abnormal on his tongue.

“Uh, yes. You’re right. Naruto, we will speak in length later.” He turned away, clearly upset.

“So you told him about us but not about your injury?”

Naruto shifted a bit. “I stopped telling him about my injuries the moment I hit high school. A pang of guilt and pain always ran through my chest whenever I saw the overly worried and concerned expression they caused. I don’t want to stress him out now. He got a lifetime of that when I was younger.”

“And now you’re stuck in this dilemma.”

“Thanks for bailing me out, by the way.”

“Hn.” He lightly placed his hand on the blonde’s back guiding him out of the room.

The burial ceremony was a sombre event. The grimness of it permeated and saturated the atmosphere. The males close to the deceased wore their sorrow well, supporting the females who wailed in anguish as the coffin was lowered into the ground never to see light again. It washed a sense of finality over them. Sakura Haruno no longer walked this earth with them.

Sasuke tuned everything out focusing on the surroundings. He had to ensure that they were safe. He already had his men patrolling the area with orders to shoot anyone suspicious first; ask questions later. Kakashi’s warning had placed his paranoia on high.

By the time he had dropped Naruto off at Shikamaru’s place, he felt sore from the tension in all his muscles. Most of these arrangements had caused a big fight between Naruto and him. Really, he did not want him going to the burial site at all since it was so open. The blonde argued that it would be the last time he would ever see Sakura so he could not deprive him of that. He conceded a little too easily for his liking. The next big fight was Naruto’s decision to spend the night and following day at his best friend’s house. He did not think it was safe and the raven would feel much better having him within his sights. It almost got physical until the blonde compromised in allowing Jurou and Masashi to stay with him. The smaller man also reminded him that he had spent all his time with him since he exited the hospital and now he had to give some of that time to his friends. They were that important to him. He promised that he will come back to him on Sunday. He supposed that was fine. Indeed, he was getting soft.

“Do you have your pain medication?” He asked standing outside the Sedan he had personally driven.

“Yes.” Naruto responded, dangling a small pouch containing the meds in front of him.

“And the phone?”

The blonde raised the new Samsung S5 device up into view.

“You are not to exit Shikamaru’s apartment without Jurou or Masashi at any point in time.”

“Yes, yes. I understand.”

“Don’t do anything stupid.”

“Sasuke, stop worrying so much. I’ve discovered something new about you. You’re a worrywart.”

“Only because you seem to attract trouble.”

“Well, that wouldn’t be anything new. It’s how I met you.” He gave him a slow smile. Naruto glanced behind him quickly to check if anyone was within listening distance. He didn’t want his corniness to be discovered. Uchiha’s two men stood by the gates of the condo patiently waiting for Naruto to enter. Shikamaru, Shino and Neji were waiting by the entrance of the building, apparently in deep conversation. He was safe.

Sasuke’s elegant eyebrows were furrowed in the middle. The other male sighed then tugged the raven’s head to meet his. “I already promised you – I will be extra careful. Trust me a little. If that doesn’t placate you, your two trusted guys are here. I’m just spending a day. It will help me get over Sakura’s loss a little. You have me all to yourself on Sunday… to do as you please.”

“Don’t try to be seductive. You know damn well that all you’re going to be doing is sitting around doing nothing. The most strenuous thing you’ll do is lift food to your lips.”

“Ah, but that can be done sensually.” He wiggled his brows.

Sasuke chuckled then pressed his lips to his partner’s. Naruto released a small groan. “Guess we’ll both be sexually frustrated by the end of next week.”

“I thought you would be the type to break rules,” Naruto joked.

Obsidian eyes shone with intensity. “Not with you.”

Naruto felt a heat run through his chest and ignited a fire in the pits of his stomach. What was this man doing to him? He wanted to tell him the emotion he felt whenever he was with him but a small part of him was afraid to voice it. He forgot the problems in his life when this man stood beside him. Everything became so much easier to bear.

Hiding his sudden surge of fierce emotions, he grinned and said, “I better go inside now. The guys are waiting. You will have to properly introduce yourself to my crew sometime. Try not to miss me too much.”

“Hn.”

The yakuza continued watching his dobe as he proceeded into building but not before greeting his two bodyguards then addressing his friends. When the door finally hid the bubbly male from his view, he slipped back into this car.

 

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

 

 

Sasuke handed his car keys to the valet, then entered the hotel. He loosened his tie a little. His gun holsters sharply bit into his aching shoulders. It was a pain he was accustomed to. Having to pay attention to ensure that they did not show through his suit was a different matter. All he wanted was a scorching shower and a quick nap. Stepping out of the elevator after it had brought him to his floor, he mentally made a list of the thing he needed to do.

He had already had Hidan sent to Kyoto and placed in a particularly remote location. The back-alley doctor had patched him up. Sasuke had given orders to tie him up and leave him in solitary confinement for a few days, just giving him enough food so that he would not starve. After a few more days, the yakuza was hoping that he would be so starved for human interaction that he would spill his knowledge without much urging. Well, that would be the ideal outcome. After that, he would hand the shit over to the police in order to appease them a bit.

He had gotten a call from one of his men telling him the Ryuu was poking around and asking about Uzumaki. This could only mean he was acting under orders from the chief. However to do such a piss poor job of concealing his inquiry indicated that Ryuu wanted him to know. He sighed. That was another problem to deal with at a later time.

He swiped his card and pushed the door handle down. As he stepped into the room, the first thing that hit him was the smell of blood. He could never mistake that metallic, rusty scent. On high alert, he pulled out his Glock, switching off its safety, in one smooth move. He nudged the door shut with his foot as he twisted on the silencer to the barrel of the gun. His eyes examined deftly his surroundings trying to make out any displacements, intruders. Keeping his back to the wall, he walked past the entrance into the kitchen/ dining room.

An unfortunate maid laid prone on the floor in a pool of her own blood. Her mouth was open wide, an expression of horror frozen on her face. Sasuke held in a grimace, noting her gouged out eyes. Admittedly, he became a bit careless and only managed to dodge a fist to his head at the nick of time. He lithely dodged and rolled away from the intruder, eyeing him down from the barrel of his Glock. A cold metal was suddenly thrust into the back of his head. Shit, there were actually two attackers.

“Took you long enough to return, Uchiha,” a voice said in a deadly emotionless drone.


	12. Intensify

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I'm really glad for your reviews and even happier to know that you are enjoying the story. I'll continue to make sure I write an entertaining drama-filled fic. ;)

****

**Chapter Eleven**

They downed their second shot of tequila; Naruto his shot of orange juice. The crew were taking turns recapping the best memories of their late friend and drinking to it in Shikamaru's kitchen. Sakura had said at one very drunken party night at university that she did not want anyone to cry at her funeral. Instead, she wanted it to be a party so that they could relive the good times. This was what they would do. The blonde man was depressed to pour himself a third glass of orange juice. He was on an alcohol ban and everyone, especially Neji, ensured that he followed instructions to the T.

Somewhere halfway through the drinking, Shikamaru took pity upon him and decided to shot orange juice along with him. In this way, he would not be the only one sober at the end of the night. Ino was the last to give her commemoration of her best friend. Not quite true to their cause, it made them shed a few tears. They gulped the last shot in silence.

"Let's get one more to make a toast. We're gonna make a promise that we should never ever break," Kiba slurred, drunkenly.

"I don't think that any promises we make in this state would be very valid." Neji's eyes were practically crossed, as he swayed slightly in his seat.

Naruto sniggered to himself. No outsider would ever know that the uptight bastard was a lightweight. He rarely drank and when he did, the stories of his drunken adventures became legend among them.

"We'll make sure!" Kiba exclaimed.

Neji rolled his eyes while Shikamaru muttered a 'troublesome' under his breath. Shino and Hinata were chugging shots of vodka down like water. Naruto suspected that they had begun something akin to a competition. They were the strongest drinkers of the group.

Ino topped off Kiba, Neji and her glasses with tequila, emptying the bottle. Well, most of the alcohol ended up on the table.

"Okay, Kiba, go ahead," she said with a flourish.

"Yes," the wild brunette cleared his throat twice. "Let's promise to live long lives. The next time we should have an event like this is when we are pushing seventy years… minimum!"

"Hear hear!"

They drank the contents of their glasses then basked in each other's company in silence. Ino was the first to excuse herself with an inaudible sniff. She retired to the guest room she shared with Hinata. Slowly, the others left – Shino to the other guest room and Neji to Shika's room. Apparently, the latter needed to be surrounded by a certain level of comfort before he could fall asleep. That left Naruto and the owner of the condo to sleep in the living room.

The brunette had to go to his room to ensure that Neji was not overly sick from his drinking. After about half an hour, he returned with pillows and blankets. By that time, Naruto had made his preparations to sleep. It was only when he was exiting the guest bathroom that he noticed Jurou sitting in a chair in a dark corner. Sasuke was right when he said that the bodyguard will be like a wallflower, unnoticeable. Masashi had stayed outside.

"A drunk Hyuuga is so troublesome," he murmured his trademark line, pulling him from his thoughts.

Naruto shook his head in amusement. "You should have anticipated it. I don't even want to know what you found."

Shikamaru snorted as he made himself comfortable on his couch. Naruto pulled his sheet up to his chest. He winced a bit from the pain emanating from his wounded side. The medication wasn't as strong as the stuff he was given at the hospital. Now and then, it throbbed angrily despite taking the analgesics at regular intervals along with the antibiotics.

"You okay?" the brunette asked.

"Stop asking me that, man. A little pain is not going to kill me."

"Don't bite off my head for asking."

"Hmm."

Rustling noise sounded as they both adjusted themselves into a more comfortable position for sleeping. They had left the lights on.

"I still can't believe she's not here anymore." Naruto stared at the ceiling. "I was the last person to speak to her. There are still so many things I wanted to tell her."

"Sometimes life deals you shitty cards. Don't get caught up with the what-if's and things-that-you-still-had-to-do. We would not be able to move on if we keep on going around in circles like that."

Naruto sighed. "I know. But I feel as if I haven't had my closure as yet."

"Even if you don't get it now, time will eventually make it easier. Just try not to think about it so much."

"Easier said than done."

"That's how the world works. And yet, theories were once just that before they were proven and made into reality."

"Heh, getting all philosophical on me."

Shikamaru smiled.

"I don't think I could go through something like this again anytime soon," Naruto said quietly.

"You and me, both," the brunette responded in like tone.

"Ah mannnn, I can't sleep like this."

"Well, we can't drink so what do you want to do?"

"Penalty game?"

"Urghhh, movies or TV series?"

"TV series."

"For penalty, it's hot sauce and coke."

"Damn. We're going to have the shittings tomorrow." Naruto grimaced as he sat up.

Shikamaru threw the sheets off him and went into the kitchen to prepare food.

"The Walking Dead, Lost or Hannibal?" Naruto asked as he flipped through the videos on the television.

"Lost."

The blonde groaned. Shikamaru grinned. If he had to suffer, then Naruto should too twice over by watching his least favourite show. Soon they were finished with their preparations.

"Okay, let the games begin," Naruto said enthusiastically.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

"Drop your gun," the guy holding a gun to his head ordered.

Sasuke just observed the other man in front of him. He was pleased that the information he got from Hidan was more or less accurate. The man in front of him had long blonde hair, some sweeping in front to cover a blue eye. His features were somewhat feminine, soft around the edges. Their sketches were not far off from the real thing. This loaned some credibility to the other constructed faces of the sub-heads of Akatsuki. Since he had no names to put to the faces, he named them personally. The man in front of him was deemed 'Dumbass'.

"Don't make me repeat myself, Uchiha. We're just here to have a nice long chat," the flat voice behind him said as he dug the gun further into his skull.

The yakuza swiftly thought about his options. These guys were not just here for a 'chat'. He would be brainless to let himself be disarmed around them. The gory work in front of him validated his point. He decided to test the odds of a gun poised to blast his brains out. Hidan said that their leader wanted him. Therefore, he would like to bet that they might have been under orders not to kill him.

Agilely, he twisted, grabbed the gun and pulled it away from his head, aiming it at his partner should the enemy decide to fire. He thrust his elbow back into the other's stomach and flipped him over his shoulder when the other lost his balance. The man who still held a tight grip to the gun had red hair and dead eyes. Sasuke now understood what Hidan meant when he said that the guy's facial muscles were paralyzed. Even as his finger was painfully twisted, caught in the trigger, he just stared at him with an almost bored expression. He had named him 'Fuckface'.

He brought his knees heavily down on his face, satisfied to feel the cartilage on the enemy's face give way. The blonde in front of him seemed to shake himself from his stupor and pulled out a gun, aiming below his chest. Uchiha nimbly threw himself to the side, diving behind a counter but not completely dodging the bullet which grazed his left arm. Clicking his tongue, he quickly grabbed a kitchen towel and tied it around his arm to staunch the bleeding. He peered around his cover to see Dumbass helping Fuckface to his feet. The latter touched a hand to his crocked, bleeding nose and observed the blood as if it were an interesting experiment.

"That was not nice, Uchiha, un," the blonde man said cheerfully. "If possible, we did not want to hurt you unnecessarily but the situation has changed. We now have to play with you a little more than what we planned. Our leader might punish us as a result though. But some things have to be done in order to achieve greatness."

Did all the members of Akatsuki have a loose screw in their heads? Sasuke rolled away as a throwing knife landed at the place his left foot was at just a second ago. The red hair moved with a speed that was almost inhumane as he leapt from the top of the counter unto the ground. Sasuke fired his gun at him. One bullet hit him in his shoulder; the other missed. It didn't slow him down. The blonde had less speed and from his trajectory, the raven knew that they were trying to trap him. He pulled out his knife, running towards Dumbass. He dropped to one knee, sliding along the floor and stabbed the man in his calf. The enemy went down with a grunt, clutching his left leg. Without missing a beat, he stood and ran into the bedroom. The door clicked as he turned the lock. Hopefully, it would buy him a little time.

As he took out his cell and dialled Ichiro's number, he pulled his duffel bag from out of the closet and stuffed loaded magazines into his pockets. He took out his sawed off shotgun, justified in using it. These guys were not normal. The door rattled.

"Boss."

"Ichiro, bring a few men and come to my hotel room at once. Two Akatsuki members broke in. Also, contact Jurou and tell him to be on high alert. Akatsuki might be making a move on his end too. Send men his way too."

"Sir, right away."

The door exploded, the force knocking the wind out of him as he landed against the wall. Seriously? They were using bombs in such close quarters? The shotgun flew out of his hand. Fuckface was the first to appear through what once was the door way. Hearing a ringing soubd and blinking dust from out of his eyes, he unholstered his Exterminator, firing at the man. The other man dodged back behind the wall.

"Fucking Uchiha. You are so goddamn difficult. We asked you nicely and yet you decided to play rough. You better not regret it, pretty boy," Dumbass shouted wildly.

He stopped firing. He probably only had three more bullets in his clip and needed to reload. Having only one gun in his hand was problematic. The short red-haired machine ran with refined agility towards him from behind the wall. A bullet managed to hit him in the stomach but as before, it did not cause him to falter. The gun clicked empty. He threw it to the side, unable to reload it.

Sasuke put up a hand to block a kick to his face. The man turned with the dexterity of a cat to land a punch to jaw. Sasuke head-butted the other, grabbing a hold of the other's hand and flipping himself unto the bed. The shoulder dislocated with a pop. Smoothly, he twisted around again, grabbing Fuckface's head between his hands and delivered a knee to his throat. He grunted when he felt a bullet hit him in the right thigh.

He would have taken the red haired and used him as a meat shield but he somehow felt that that would prove to be his downfall. Swiftly he rolled off the bed and charged towards the armed blonde while ignoring the pain in his leg. Just as he reached a few feet from him, he used his momentum to jump kick him straight in the chest. He used his forearms to brace his fall and deftly lifted himself up as he skidded towards the entrance. No guns were within reach and his two assailants were still alive. Sasuke had to say, they were quite stubborn. The two had already roused themselves, moving as if they did not sport bullet or stab wounds. They must have been using some kind of drug. The odds just kept on piling up against him.

As they shortened the distance between him, Sasuke braced himself to retaliate. The redhead casually turned his arm, shifting the humerus back into its socket.

"Well, aren't you a tough cookie. I can see now why our boss is so interested in you. Your sexiness is on par with your skills. In fact, you are the sole reason why there is a small setback in the leader's plans. All we really want to know is where you have Hidan," Dumbass spoke as he pulled out what looked like a Taser.

Sasuke almost chuckled out loud. They came fully prepared for any situation, huh.

"And why the fuck would I tell you that?"

"Because you value your life and freedom," Fuckface said.

"You can't even hope of touching that." Sasuke's lips curled in a slight sneer.

"Your struggle is quite… arousing." The red haired man spoke so monotonously that the raven thought he imagined that disturbing line.

"Sasori, not now. Besides, the leader will kill you if you place your hands on what is his." The blonde said almost giddily, addressing his partner.

"He doesn't have to know." A weird glint appeared in those brown eyes.

Sasuke was certain that he did not want to know what that meant. These guys were not going to go down unless there was a point blank shot to the head or through the heart. It would be a shame to kill them without eliciting any information from them though. Unfortunately, time was not on his side. His right leg began trembling with the effort to withstand his weight. The bullet was still lodged in his flesh which kept him from bleeding out.

"Seems as though we strayed a bit from the main topic, un. Where is Hidan? Then we can get back to killing off each other on the down-low."

Sasuke ignored the stupid blonde. He could try to leave the room but that would require him to turn his back on them. Obviously, that was not an option.

"Sasori, I think we are being ignored." Dumbass actually looked genuinely shocked.

"It's best we stop trying to speak then. Well, soon we will have Uchiha's blonde toy to make him more cooperative," the companion droned.

"Oh, right! Teehee."

Tension shifted through his body for a second before he relaxed. Jurou was with Naruto. There was no need to worry. His guy would ensure that his dobe was kept safe at all costs. His mind could not afford to be clouded right now. He cursed himself for his carelessness which led him into this position. There were a few options opened for him to subdue the pesks in front of him but they all required him to skilful execute them at the risk of inflicting further damage on himself. Even though no more than five minutes had passed since he had made the call to his subordinate, it felt as if he had been fighting for hours.

Dumbass pointed the Taser gun at him and fired. Sasuk waited at the very last moment to dodge, ensuring that he was certain of its trajectory. His injured leg had decreased his reflexes but he missed the electrodes of the gun by the skin of his teeth. The wind was knocked out of him as the man, named Sasori aka Fuckface, tackled him to the floor. Guess it was an all-out brawl now? A blow was dealt to his face before had time to put his hands up. That was a small price to pay for having the red-head position himself right where he wanted, without acquiring anymore grievous wounds.

He exchanged blows with the person on top of him, keeping up with his farce of struggling against the attacker. The conditions were just right. Sasori was shielding him from the blonde shit while being in close quarters with him. Jerking his body upwards, he pretending to throw the other off him. In that moment of slight distraction, he pulled out his hidden knife on his hip and stabbed it through Fuckface's eye, directing it upwards.

"I only need one of you alive," he murmured sinisterly.

The emotionless man's reaction seemed delayed. He touched a hand to the knife that was sticking out of his left socket. Blood and yellow fluid gushed out of the wound, soaking Sasuke's shirt. Then, he began screaming wildly. All his defences were gone. Guess whatever drugs he was on only covered up to a certain level of pain. Still, this was not the result he wanted. He wanted the man unconscious or dead. With his full force behind it, he shoved the knife further into the bloody cavity. Half the hilt disappeared into the perforated eyeball. The enemy dropped over him unconscious or dead. He did not have time to check.

"Sasori!" Dumbass shouted loudly, rushing to his aid.

He threw the limp body at him, standing. The extra weight made the blonde unstable. Sasuke kicked at the bleeding wound on his left leg. The limb buckled and he fell to his knees. The raven spun to add force to the knee with stuck his jaw. The blonde sprawled unto the floor. Dumbass, spat out some blood along with a tooth.

"Fuck. I have to admit. I underestimated you."

"Indeed, what made you think it was a good idea to attack me?"

The blonde freak chuckled. Blood dribbled down his chin. "You're good at hiding things and keeping them hidden. The few of your men we found were also loyal. They chose death instead of spilling your information."

Sasuke frowned. He was not aware of any of his men missing. But then, things were so hectic recently, he supposed it was a possibility.

"Next time," he continued, "I will make sure that we deal with you more appropriately – have better countermeasures. This is a learning experience. You are too dangerous to leave running around without a leash."

The dark-haired yakuza swiftly delivered a powerful kick to a nearby glass cupboard, keeping his eyes on the enemy still on the floor. He picked up a jagged long shard from the broken glass. Menacingly, he approached the pronated man.

"Who said anything about a next time? Out of curiosity, what was Akatsuki's next plan? The current plan to make us a public enemy flops the minute I hand your companion to the police. The full justice force will fall upon your group like a ton of bricks. That will surely make your moves all the more difficult to make. This foolhardy plan to attack us was doomed to fail from the beginning. Really, just what was the point of all this?"

"A point?" Dumbass snorted then began snickering. "There was a point? We do it for the fucking chaos, the art of exploding bombings, flying limbs, blood. Sure, the leader has some kind of beef with the Kimikaze group but I think it's as fickle as his sanity. We kill because we can." Blue eyes settled on him. It unnerved him to see the instability and madness reflected clearly on his face.

He now believed what he had suspicions of. This group was nothing more than a terrorist one without the agenda that cloaked their murderous intentions by naming their group as a catalyst. The worse part of the situation was that the group seemed to have collected the most deranged persons together and that made for a disastrous outcome. What a goddamn pain in the ass.

"You should have left our name out of it then." Sasuke walked towards the enemy, holding up the shard.

"You, yakuza and mafia groups have all gone soft – shadows of what they once were. You guys are now mostly businessmen, soiling the name of nefarious underworld syndicates that once brought fear into the hearts of men at the mere mention of their names. This country has seen peace long enough. We will shake them up and show them what we call true criminals. What better way to start it by shaking up the criminal organizations, starting with the largest one in Japan?"

"Are you done?"

"Uchiha, although you don't see it, you underestimate what a few insane but extremely motivated men can do."

Deeming it a waste of breath to continue talking, he plunged the glass fragment towards the other's back. Dumbass turned, catching his armed hand in a strong grip. Sasuke spotted what looked like a detonator in the enemy's other hand. It was pressed. A loud blast blew a hole through the wall on the opposite end of the room into an adjoining suite. During the explosion, the blonde had knocked the raven to the ground. Sasuke stabbed the glass into the arm holding him down.

"Shit, you are one vicious cunt. The next time I'll pay you back twofold, un." The taller of the two attackers whispered viciously. Even though his ears rung in the aftermath of the explosion, he clearly heard him.

Sasuke clicked his tongue. As if he would allow him to escape. The blonde looked up quickly then pulled out a syringe.

"I don't have time to deal with such a stubborn bastard like you. Save your energy until the next time we meet."

Uchiha tried to wrestle the syringe away. He punched the blonde in the stomach but he stubbornly stayed like a rock on him. Dumbass grabbed his head and slammed it onto the floor. He took that momentary dazedness to shove the needle into the yakuza's neck and empty its contents into the bloodstream. As quick as lightning, he picked up Sasori and disappeared through the blasted hole. The hotel room door swung open. Was it more enemies? His men? Police?

There was no way he could know. The chemicals in the syringe entered with an intense burning sensation. Not long after that, his muscles began to spasm involuntarily, painfully. He clenched his teeth. Excruciating agony ran through every corner of his body. Hands fell upon him, but it only served to intensify the hurt. He slapped them away; tore at his shirt which suddenly felt too constricting. Pain, burning, gut-wrenching anguish… He emptied the contents of his stomach on the floor, then allowed the sweet bliss of unconsciousness to take him.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

Naruto glanced up from chugging down a bottle of milk, when a phone began to ring. He had given up on the third penalty round, losing by default. The ring tone was unfamiliar. It came from the silent brunette lurking in the shadowy corner. Jurou answered, speaking so softly that there was no way that Naruto could overhear the conversation without standing right beside him. Shikamaru joined him at the fridge.

"You lost so you owe me. Can't decide right now."

"Fine. Just nothing too bad, okay?"

"Sorry, you don't get a say in it." Shikamaru smirked, getting a bottle of water from the fridge. "So, how did you manage to deal with Iruka?"

"As I've always done for the past few years: avoiding him, changing the subject and asking him about his love life. He gets too flustered to think about anything else."

The genius chuckled. "Still, I think you should tell him. He'll be very upset if he finds out from someone other than you."

The blonde sighed. "That would not happen. I'll will deal with it on the off-chance that it would but I like to not stir up trouble when there is no need to. You know how much he stresses about me."

"Hmm. I suppose."

"Right. So let's finish the food then hit the sack."

They sat on the couch, lazily shoving morsels of food down their throats. The television played softly on a sports channel. Naruto got up.

"Ah, need to pee."

"I don't care. You don't have to announce it every time, idiot," Shikamaru drawled.

"Naruto."

Surprised, the blonde turned to face the man that spoke to him for the first time since he was ordered to guard him.

"We leave in five minutes. Get ready," Jurou said briskly. He walked to the door, just as there was a knock.

"What? Why?"

"Just hurry and follow my instructions, please." Jurou said mildly. "Masashi, is that you?"

"I'm not going to follow orders without an explanation. I'm not a dog."

Naruto observed Jurou's posture tense as he listened by the door. There was no reply. Gradually, a sense of foreboding overshadowed his obstinate attitude. The yakuza subordinate pulled out his gun and stepped to the side of the door.

"Get to the rooms in the back now," he ordered sternly. "See if you can barricade yourself somewhere that would be difficul-."

Shots were fired through the door. Naruto and Shikamaru crouched to the floor immediately. It would be a pain in the ass if they were hit by stray bullets. The door knob was totalled. Whoever the person, they must have been using a shotgun or something that packed a lot of punch. The door was then kicked open. Jurou opened fire immediately. The silhouette of a tall, heavily muscled man dodged behind the wall with the speed one did not expect from someone his size.

"Naruto. Get moving!" the bodyguard shouted.

Shikamaru rose, grabbing Naruto's arm. "Let's go." He said with a level of urgency.

"Oh no you don't." A deep voice boomed. The robust man braved the gunfire, running into the room, taking at least two shots to his body. He expertly reloaded his shotgun, pumped it, rolled into a stable crouch and aimed at Jurou. The latter dodged as an ominous hole in the wall appeared just where his head had been previously.

The man, who actually had blue skin, grinned, displaying sharp, shark-like teeth as he directed his gun at them.

"Shika!" Naruto exclaimed as he shoved the brunette away while jumping in the other direction himself.

The fired shell destroyed a cupboard holding some of Shikamaru's wares. Both of them rolled, finding cover behind various furniture. It wouldn't stop the bullets but it provided a small level of security.

"Ah, another of Uchiha's men, huh. You got me near my groin and in my stomach. I would have been pissed if you took off my fucking manhood. Now, where is his blonde fucktoy?"

Jurou rushed the intruder, skilfully dodging punches and kicks while delivering his own. He managed to force the shotgun out of the shark-like man's hand. It was unloaded but he did not want to give him the opportunity to equip it will new magazines. The enemy faltered a bit, receiving some well-placed blows to his torso and face. Not that they seemed to slow him down, oddly enough.

"Fuck, all of you guys are hard to deal with," the blue man muttered as he elbowed his opponent violently in the stomach.

The brunette doubled over but leapt a few feet from the other. Just as he slid across the kitchen counter to get the spare gun he had hidden in the cupboard unknowingly, a dart sank into the skin of his arm.

"Bullseye!" the enemy said proudly.

Jurou pulled the dart and flung it away. He staggered. What was in that? He collapsed unto his knees, his limbs and eyelids sluggish.

"That was the tranquilizer I was supposed to use on the stupid blonde. It's the same thing I used for the other man outside. Damn, dealing with Uchiha's guys are a pain in the ass and I unfortunately don't have the time to play with you. Man, I only had two. Guess I will have to wing it in capturing the blonde."

"Shit," Jurou cursed lowly as he tried willing his eyes to stay open and strengthen his feet under him.

The enemy slowly walked up to him with a shit-eating grin on his face. "This tranquilizer was made by our dearest leader. It could take out an elephant with little effort. Don't try to fight it so much. We'll get to play longer next time."

Grinding his teeth, the yakuza underling, pulled out his knife and stabbed it into the other's foot.

"You fucker." The jiggered teeth ground together in irritation. He kicked the lowered man in the face. A hum of satisfaction escaped his lips when the man laid unmovingly on the floor.

"Blondie! Where are you?" the intruder shouted.

Naruto shared a look with Shikamaru. The others must have been awake by now from all the noise that was made. He was worried that they might play the heroes and get themselves killed. The only person he was confident in to hold their own in a fight was himself.

"Get to the others and keep them in their rooms," he mouthed to his best friend.

Shikamaru gave him a stubborn shake of his head.

"Shika! The guy only wants me. I don't want anyone getting hurt or killed because of me. Please!" He added wild gestures to his mouthed words.

Unfortunately, things didn't always work out the way one wants it to.

"What the ass is going-," Ino froze mid-sentence, taking in the destroyed kitchen and damaged furniture in the dining room.

"Oh, one of the rats game out." The muscled man said, pulling out his gun and aiming it at her.

"Fuck," Naruto cursed as he dashed out from behind the couch, tackling the enemy to the floor. He ignored the intense pain which erupted from his wounded side. The gun spun out of the shark-like man's hand. The blonde wasted no time in punching him solidly in his head. He then grabbed it and slammed it into the floor a few times. The man swung around, using his momentum to elbow him in the face, successfully knocking him off. He hit his head on the kitchen counter.

"Ino, get back inside!" he heard Shikamaru shout to the girl.

The force behind the blow was staggering. He saw white for a few seconds. Naruto shook his head, trying to reorient himself. Grabbing the counter for support, he pulled himself upright. He spotted a knife there. Just as his fingers grabbed a hold of it, he was tugged backways and slammed to the wall. A hand snaked around his throat, cutting off his airways. Naruto dug his unarmed hand into the arm. From what he understood so far, this guy did not seem to feel any pain. He did not want to waste the element of surprise by stabbing his arm blindly and not producing a favourable outcome.

He gasped for air, searching for the ideal spot to plunge the knife. A chair slammed into the attacker's head. It was Shikamaru. He released Naruto who fell to the floor, gasping in a lungful of air. But he did not have time to lick his wounds. He delivered a few sturdy kicks to the burly man's right leg. The man dodged into a roll away from them.

"You piece of shit. You were trying to break my leg…" A small sense of awe seemed to be reflected in his words.

Naruto did not bother to reply. He launched towards the man who was in a crouch, snaked under the arm which swung to hit him in the face and position himself behind the other. Agilely, he wound his legs around the other's waist – his feet hooked under his thighs- and his arms under his shoulders, holding him immobile. He received a head butt and a couple punches to his stomach but he held on firmly.

"You stubborn shit!" the man grunted harshly.

"How dare you come into our home and fuck up our lives even more?" Naruto said coldly. "Akatsuki, right?"

"You, bitch. When I get out of this, I'll make it my personal mission to torture and kill everyone you care about. You should have just shut up and come quietly."

"You don't seem to know me very well." Naruto's voice took on a detached quality.

"Don't need to. All you are is a tool to subdue Uchiha. Everyone wants to fuck the dark-haired bastard. Personally, I can't see what's so good about the guy. But then, my interests lie in slicing off body parts while keeping my toys alive. Maybe I'll get to do the same when I get my hands on that blonde bitch that just disappeared in the back there. You guys are like little sheep only fit to be hunted."

"Ah, is that so?" The blonde murmured flatly.

The blue haired man stiffened. He had clearly underestimated the situation. Almost in a panicked frenzy, he dug in his pocket and pulled out his knife. His knife sliced into the other's hand at the same time, Naruto plunged the blade into his throat. The blonde pulled it out and watched dispassionately, as blood spurted from the opening. With eyes wide from shock, the enemy stared sideways at the younger man. Blood collected in his larynx, chocking him. He sputtered, gasping for breath. His struggles to escape from Naruto's deadly grip became even more desperate. It took five more minutes for the man to flop limply against the other, the gurgling sounds still emanating from the open wound. Glassy eyes stared blankly to the ceiling.

He roughly threw the dead body off him. The knife was still lodged in his right forearm. Naruto laid back on the floor, breathing heavily. He had just killed a person. A first in his life… But he did not feel any emotions of regret or panic. It was the calmest he felt since Sakura's death. It felt as if he had gotten a small piece of revenge for his friend's murder. He had also protected his other friends from this sick maniac. He had no doubts in his mind that if he had allowed the fish bastard to escape, he would return to fulfil every one of the sick promises he had voiced smugly. He gazed up at the ceiling blankly. Shit, this was not how he expected his life to turn out six years ago. He was surrounded by darkness that seemed to have tightly wrapped around him like intangible threads. The only self-reproach he felt though was allowing his friends to be involved in this madness.

"Naruto!" a high pitched voice called out. Soft hands grabbed his arm.

"Ino, move out of the way," Neji instructed tersely.

Naruto sat up. "I'm fine."

Shikamaru sat at his other side. "You're bleeding a lot."

The blonde male sighed but allowed Neji to stem the bleeding from his arm and stomach. His stitches had burst, opening the wound once again. Neji pressed a towel to the wound. He didn't have the tools needed to suture it again. He fastened it securely in place with some bandages.

Nobody mentioned the dead body lying beside them.

"A bit of time has passed. I think it's safe to say that the intruder was alone," Kiba said gravely as he and Shino came back from checking outside against Naruto's wishes.

"The guard is dead," Shino said quietly. "We can't find the other dude who was with this bodyguard."

The heavy mood increased exponentially.

"S-shouldn't w-we call the p-p-police?" Hinata said nervously from the counter.

"I don't know. Having yakuza here will surely complicate things," Shikamaru said.

No one said anything else for a while. Neji got up and got an ice pack from the freezer and placed it on the side of Naruto's face. Just then, they heard the sound of many feet thumping towards their location. The blonde stood, getting into a defensive position. Were they being attacked again?

Men in suits rushed into the condo. Kiba and Shino had equipped themselves with knives. Shikamaru had ordered Hinata and Ino to retreat back to their room. Neji remained glued to Naruto's side. The men efficiently covered the living room and disappeared into different rooms, shouting a 'clear'.

"Naruto, please do not be alarmed. We have orders from Uchiha, our boss, to secure you." A rather young-looking man stepped towards them, putting his hands in the air.

Naruto released a sigh and collapsed back to the floor. The day was too goddamn long. Some men attended to the unconscious Jurou.

"My name is Aki. Can you tell us what happened here?"

The pain made him ill-tempered. "Long story short. The guy who attacked is the dead one. By his words, Jurou and Masashi were tranquilized. Don't know where the latter guy is though."

"Did Jurou kill the intruder?"

"No…" Naruto said tersely, not caring to elaborate.

"I see."

Some other guys ran back in from outside, speaking softly to Aki. He looked to be in charge.

"We found Masashi. Well then, we will take you all to secure locations."

"What about the dead bodies here?" Ino asked.

"We'll handle it," was all the yakuza said.

The group frowned but said nothing. The situation was bad as it is. Maybe it would not be a bad idea to let them handle the rest of it. Otherwise, their names could be dragged all over the news network and they would be hulled constantly to the police station for questioning. Additionally, their names would be associated with the yakuza. That was kind of bad for their reputations which were needed for their line of work.

Aki came to Naruto and knelt next to him. "Do you need immediate medical attention?"

"No-"

"Yes," Neji cut across him. "The stitches were torn and the wound on his arm looks like it might need suturing as well. I don't have the tools to do it here so we should go to the hospital ASAP."

"And you are?"

"Neji Hyuuga, a cardiovascular surgeon."

Aki nodded. "We'll take you to the hospital. Are your friends coming along? We can take them to a hotel to spend the rest of the night."

"Of course," Ino snapped.

Naruto gave a tired smile. "Guys, I want you to get some rest. I'm tired of seeing you guys at the hospital because of me."

"This guy just spouts shit whenever he is ready, huh." Kiba muttered under his breath nevertheless, it was clearly heard.

"Naruto, stop being an idiot and let's just go." Shikamaru ran his hand over his head.

The blonde released another sigh. He felt really tired. So much crap was happening in too short of a timespan.

"What about Sasuke? Where is he?"

Aki just looked at him then said, "Let's get a move on, shall we?"

Fear seized Naruto's heart. Blood rushed to his ears. "Don't fucking ignore me. What happened?"

The underling paused then turned around. "Our boss was attacked in his hotel room. I don't know the events thereafter."

Shivers ran down his spine. Shakily, he rose to his feet. "Take me to the hotel."

"I can't do that. I have strict instructions."

"Call him then."

"We do not contact the boss unnecessarily."

The monotonous answers were pissing him off. "Then call someone who fucking knows what's going on! Find out where he fucking is- what the fuck happened. Don't give me half-assed answers and expect me to eat up your bullshit."

Naruto stumbled a bit lightheaded after shouting so loudly. When all he got was a blank stare, he turned to Shikamaru. "Get your car keys. We're leaving."

"Naruto, is that-,"

"Now!" He shouted at the brunette and hated himself for it.

He staggered to the location where he placed his phone. Thankfully, it was not damaged by the violent situation. He dialled Sasuke's phone three times but got no reply. He cursed, pressing the device harshly to his forehead. This gut feeling that something had gone very wrong made him feel sick. He didn't even feel his pain anymore. All he could think about was: Did **he** die?

"Naruto, please calm down. We will tell you as soon as we get the information about our boss' whereabouts. For now, can you allow us to follow through with orders and get you to somewhere safe?" Aki said calmly.

"Fuck off," Naruto snapped and turned just as Shikamaru and Neji re-emerged from the former's room with their car keys.

"If we're leaving, we're going to the hospital first," Neji said.

"Sure, let's just get the hell out of here."

"Naruto, this is the last time I will be asking." Aki intonated clearly.

"Or what? You'll shoot me?" Naruto shuffled towards the entrance belligerently.

The other guy let his breath rush out in a sigh. Swiftly, he stalked towards the blond, sidestepped him then delivered an open-hand blow to his brachial plexus at the side of the neck. He caught the secretary before he hit the floor. The friends rushed at him but they stopped when they found themselves at the end of at least six brandished guns.

"Now, now let's not let tensions run high. I apologize for using force but orders must be followed regardless of the means. Don't do anything stupid. We were only given orders to protect the blonde male. The boss sure likes to pick the most troublesome ones." Aki hoisted the limp body more securely in his arms.

"Have Jurou and Masashi transported to the hospital. Contact Ryuu for instructions on how to deal with the Akatsuki body then call the cleaners." The temporary yakuza in charge turned to the friends once more. "You can have us transport you to the Medical Institute or you can follow on your own. You're free to do as you wish. However, please note carefully that your blonde friend here does not get that same luxury. As long as he is in a relationship with our boss, his freedom is at his discretion."

He turned, carrying an unconscious Naruto to one of the many vehicle parked in front of the compound.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

It was close to dawn now. The group of friends sat idly in the waiting room of the floor of the ICU. There were a lot more men in dark suits compared to the last time. The elevator had a pair of yakuza underlings standing guard; their guns were clearly visible for easy access. The security was definitely tighter. About an hour ago, Dr. Tsunade, gave them an update about Naruto's status. He was stable and all his wounds were treated. She was not sure when he would regain consciousness and also if they would even be allowed to see him. She advised them to go home and took one of their phone numbers to notify them if any change was to occur.

Neji had to leave soon after. His leave was over and he had an operation in the afternoon. The others remained, silently watching, the comings and goings of obvious criminal personnel. Some looked more dangerous than others and high up in the hierarchy of the organization. As time passed, they became more intimidated. Piercing looks were sent their way; clearly, they were not a welcomed presence.

"We should probably leave," Ino said softly. "Naruto will contact us when he can."

"You guys can go ahead." Shikamaru leaned back in his seat.

"Shikamaru, man. I think something really happened to Uchiha. It would probably be bad if they turned their attention to us." Kiba said.

"It is a shitty situation all around. But, there is really nothing we can do. Guess it's something we have to get used to," Shino added.

"I don't think I want to get used to death all around me," Kiba sighed as he stood.

"The situation before was unavoidable," Shikamaru murmured.

"Of course," Kiba said quickly. "I know Naruto did what he had to protect himself. It's just that as long as this Akatsuki group is around, he will constantly be in danger. I think our risk is as high as any stranger out there."

"Indeed. I also don't like Naruto's relationship no matter how hard I try to tell myself that it's fine as long as he is happy." The other brunette clenched his hands into fists.

"Naruto will put an end to it himself if he feels too suffocated. I also don't like the way he was manhandled earlier. However, Naruto is an adult and capable of making his own decisions and dealing with any fallouts that occur with those decisions." Shino stood as well. "Don't go sticking your nose in trouble, Shikamaru. I know you worry for him enough for all of us."

The brunette dragged his hands roughly through his hair. "Tch, I know. I'll stop worrying. Damn, my place is unusable for now."

"You can stay at mine," Hinata offered. She was silent for most of the time.

Shikamaru smiled. "Nah, it's okay. I will smooch off Kiba for now. I shudder to think what Neji would do to me if he found out that I'm freely staying at your place."

"B-but we're just friends." The girl frowned adorably.

Kiba laughed. "You clearly don't understand your cousin even after all these years."

"Leave the poor girl alone." Ino threw a hand over the other female's shoulder.

They headed for the elevator. The door dinged open.

"Do you know his condition?"

"Tsunade called and told me they have him stabilized but she'll have to keep him under surveillance for the next twenty-four hours to be certain."

"It was that bad?"

"The drug they administered was a dangerous cocktail. It contained huge amounts of alpha-2 agonists and some toxin among other things. Tsunade said it, at first, brought on an episode of seizures then the high doses of the agonist caused cardiopulmonary instability as it knocked him out."

"The chief is-," the man looked up as he stepped out of the elevator, pausing. "Shikamaru."

Said man stiffened. The similarity between the two males were unmistakable. Even their hairstyles were the same. Only the two scars on the older man's face seemed to differentiate them. There was no doubt as to what their relationship was. The male next to him with his distinctive gravity-defying white hair was none other than Naruto's boss. Shikamaru's frown deepened. What the hell was going on?

However, his need to get away from the bane of his existence won over his need to have his questions answered. He nodded politely, sidestepped and entered the elevator with the rest of his crew.

"Hatake, go ahead. I have something to take care of. I'll join you in a sec." The man said calmly. He turned, grabbing a hold of Shikamaru's hand. "We need to talk."

"I have nothing to say to you. I made that clear when I left six years ago. You're holding up the elevator," the brunette responded curtly.

The brunette exhaled loudly then released him. "At least call your mother sometimes. She's been very depressed since her only child left without a word."

Shikamaru grunted, pressing the close door button. No words were shared as the elevator travelled to the ground floor. The brunette was the first to leave it when the doors opened.

"Shika, are you still coming across?" Kiba called.

"Nah, I'll stay in some hotel," he threw over shoulder as he left the building in a rush. He definitely did not want to explain what happened just now to them. He had not even told Naruto.

Sliding into his car in the parking lot, he started it and drove off with more speed than he needed.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

Cerulean eyes peered through heavy yellow lashes. He had woken up a few minutes ago. Still, he was groggy and there was a throbbing in his head which he knew would have been excruciating if he was not on pain medication. He took in the darkness of the room. From the white colour scheme and the almost suffocating smell of antiseptics, he knew he was at the hospital. He sat up slowly. The room was similar to the one he had been at earlier this week. This meant he was probably at Tokyo Medical Institute. Was he doomed to spend the rest of his days at a hospital?

Rage filled him instantly when he recalled what that bastard Aki did to him. If he ever appeared before him again, he would beat the living shit out of him. Through the tiny crack of the drapes, he could see it was night time. Was it the night of the same day or the following? Well, it shouldn't matter. He was unemployed anyway. He threw his feet over the side of the bed. There were two things on his agenda: use the toilet then find out about Sasuke. He felt queasy just thinking about the various outcomes that could have occurred to his partner. He guessed that a day had passed and he still had no clue as to his situation. Shit…

Naruto clenched the IV stand pole for support and got up. After a few satisfying minutes in the toilet and a thorough wash of hands, he shuffled to the door. As he exited, he was greeted by two strapped men in suits- one of whom he recognized. Yakuza. Luckily, the guy was not the same one who incapacitated him. Still, he did not want to be around any of them right then.

"Naruto, what are you doing up?" Masashi asked, reaching to take hold of his arm.

The blonde stepped back. "Don't fucking touch me."

The man with cropped hair raised his hands in a defensive posture. "I can see that you're upset."

"No shit. Let me through."

"Please just go back to your bed. We'll call Dr. Tsunade to give you the okay to walk about."

"Are you going to raise your hand against me too if I don't follow your instructions?" Naruto's voice had dropped an octave and his eyes turned an icy blue.

"No."

"Good," was his only reply as he slipped past the men. "By the way, where is Uchiha?"

Masashi took a few minutes to reply as if weighing his options. Naruto turned to walk away. No one seemed to want to give him clear cut answers. He did not know if he could deal with this on a regular basis as he was going out of his mind because of the lack of information which he was certain all the yakuza underlings had some knowledge of. It made him want to bash their heads against the wall.

He began walking down the hall towards where the security looked heavier. Someone there should know. If they didn't talk, he guessed he could take the violent route.

"He is in room 63," Masashi finally spoke up.

Naruto turned, glanced at him and continued his path towards the room. At least he had a destination now. In front of the room stood four overly muscular men. Did they think all that muscle will stop a knife or bullet? It looked on the edge of ridiculous. They would not allow him to enter and explaining his situation to them felt like talking to bricks. When one of them decided to place his meaty hand on his shoulder to physically guide him away, he snapped. Well, on a normal basis, he had more control than that… right?

He jerked around and jabbed a fist to his nose. Since he had to use his left hand, it was not as powerful as he would have liked but he felt satisfied when blood began to drip from the nostrils. The other three began shouting as they charged at him.

The door slid open. "What the fuck is going on out here?" Jurou stepped out of the room, immediately interpreting what must have happened. "Men stand down. Naruto, I see you have a bad habit of getting into unnecessary fights." He had a cold compress on the right side of his face.

"Only because all of you seem to have a bad habit of pissing me off."

"You should be in your room."

'You should fuck off,' the blonde thought but did not voice it for fear that he would not let him in. "Can I come in?"

Jurou sighed but stepped aside. Naruto walked in, a little grateful. The room was as dark as his own with the exception of a dim lamp at the bedside which illuminated his boss sitting on a chair, reading some papers. Naruto blinked, wondering if he was seeing things. Hatake looked up then gave a small smile.

"Of course, it had to be you making a raucous so late at night."

"Y-yeah…" Naruto could not say anything else. He was just so confused.

"Ah, you're puzzled because of my presence here. I'm not surprised that Sasuke never mentioned it. I'm his foster father."

Cerulean eyes widened in shock. Oh… Oh, that kind of made sense. It always seemed weird to him that Sasuke was on such familiar terms with his boss. He figured it might have had to do with Hatake owing the yakuza something but he was so wrong. Damn, he was dating his boss' son. He was at a loss for words.

"Naruto, please don't look so stricken. Sasuke had told be of your relationship previously. While I can't say that I was jumping for joy, I'm satisfied that you both seem happy. As a father, I'm delighted to know he is finally opening up himself to someone else. It's also a good thing that I personally know his chosen partner."

The blonde offered a smile, still unsure of what he should say or do. Then his adjusted eyes landed on the man who was the subject of their conversation. Sasuke's complexion was almost white. A long tube was secured to his mouth by a strap that went around his head; the other end of tube was attached to a ventilator. He had an IV attached to his left arm. In fact there were a bunch of other tubes attached to his hand, torso and other places hidden from view by the sheets. Bruises and cuts of different sizes littered his face and visible parts of his body. They seemed so much worse against the stark paleness of his skin. It made Naruto think the worse of his condition. He slowly approached the bedside, reaching down to touch him but stopped. He was scared that he might inflict even more injury. His hand clenched the material above his pounding heart. He could feel his anxiety rising.

It startled him when Kakashi stood and pulled a chair from somewhere next to his. He had forgotten the other's presence.

"Come sit, Naruto." He patted the chair. When his employee just stood still, blankly staring in front of him, he went up to him and gently guided him into the seat. He noted the very nasty-looking bruises to his forehead and side of his face. Tsunade will be angry to find out that her patient was up and about.

"Is he going to be okay?" the blonde whispered.

"He is stable now. Don't work yourself up. The worse of his injuries was caused by a lethal injection they had. Tsunade has already administered drugs to reverse some of its effects and to flush the rest out of his system. It was pretty serious when he first arrived but the worst of it is over."

"I-I see." Naruto was afraid to find out anymore of the extent of his injuries. He never thought a day would come when he would see Sasuke unconscious in a hospital bed, having just escaped death. It brought a lot of things into reality for him.

"Do you want to be alone with him?"

"N-no, I couldn't."

"Mah, I've spent the entire day here, I was just thinking about getting some fresh air, maybe something to eat and a hot bath." Kakashi ruffled blonde hair as he stood. "Keep an eye on him for me while I'm away, okay?"

Naruto nodded and watched as the man picked up his jacket which was draped across his chair then disappeared behind the exit door. He returned his attention to Sasuke.

Yesterday could have been the day he lost him. He realized now how closely death followed him- them. Dragging his chair closer to the bed, he gently clutched the other's hand. His fingers were cool, unlike the warmth he remembered from the times they had caressed his skin. He laced this fingers through them and blankly stared into nothing. He was scared of this thoughts; of what he might do. Instead, he let the whirring of the ventilator, the beeping of the vital signs monitor and the hum of the air condition unit lull him into a thoughtless trance.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

"Uzumaki, please explain to me why you are here and not in your room." Dr. Tsunade's voice boomed, jerking him into wakefulness.

He had fallen asleep on the sheets. He felt even more sluggish than before. Looking around, he noticed that it was still night time. He probably only dozed off for a few hours. Lazily, he turned his eyes to the fitful doctor.

"As you can see, I'm visiting Uchiha."

That response seemed to make her even angrier. "Do you want me to physically carry you back to your room?"

"No." His eyes darkened with his stubbornness. "I'm staying here. I'm not at risk of dying or anything and I'm already patched up. The bed does not seem very appealing in my state."

Tsunade placed her hands on her hips, clicking her tongue. She hated dealing with patients who didn't comply with her instructions. However, having a taste of his personality, she knew she could not force him into anything easily.

"I need to do some follow-up exams."

"They can be done later, right." Naruto tightened his grip on the hand that he realized he had let go of during sleep.

"No, they actually can't."

"I want to be here when he wakes up," Naruto said silently.

The doctor's eyes softened. "Look, I'm going to check up on some other patients then come back. We'll go to your room, do a full check-up and if there are no complications then you can return here. Okay?"

The blonde male said nothing.

"Work with me here, brat."

"Fine."

Tsunade turned on her heels and left.

Naruto exhaled sharply. He was beginning to hate hospitals. The urge to at least see those obsidian eyes kept him root in his seat. It would be a sign- an assurance to him- that he was going to be fine. The twenty-four year old man pressed the hand to his lips. A certain level of depression had overtaken his mood.

Fingers tightened around his hand. His eyes were wrenched to the dark-haired man's face. The relief that filled him when he saw those delicate eyebrows furrow made his limbs feel like noodles. Unhurriedly, those eyelids raised, to reveal slightly dazed dark eyes. He waited for them to focus on him. When they did, it pulled involuntary tears to his eyes.

"You look worse than shit, bro." Naruto joked teasingly.

Obsidian eyes just stared at him. A hand raised to his mouth. The furrow on his forehead deepened. Naruto grabbed the hand before it began tugging at the tube it found.

"You can't. You're hooked up to a ventilator with a breathing tube down your throat. Don't try to pull it out." He squeezed both hands then broke eye contact.

He lapsed into silence. How should he start?

"Sasuke, I-," He stopped. More tears pooled in his eyes. Damn, he hated that he was doing this now but a few hours with his thoughts and frightful nightmares had cemented his decision.

He thought the words he could not say. 'Sasuke, I can't do this again. It's not my style to run away from a relationship but I can't bear to see you in a hospital bed, just narrowly escaping death, again. It hurts so much; I feel as if a piece of me is dying too. I thought I could handle it but it seems I overestimated myself. I'm in love with you. But it's new. I can still leave now. The emptiness that this breakup will leave will heal with a bit of time. I will be able to endure it. A love like this which can occupy all my senses, leave me so giddy sometimes and have me lurched into torturous pain and anger is probably something that will never come by again in my lifetime. And yet, I'm a coward, a hypocrite. Even with all the danger we both face, losing you is what scares me the most. So, I'm leaving now while I am still able to get over the pain without any lasting scars - before I'm faced with a situation where you no longer exist in this world and I'm broken because of it.' A sob escaped him as he pressed those hands he adored to his forehead.

He looked at those long dark lashes that bordered gorgeous obsidian eyes. His pale lips which mostly spewed insults at him. His handsome face which could compare to no one else. That sturdy, well-sculpted body that, regretfully, he never got the chance to explore. God, he loved this man. Leaning in, he pressed a lingering kiss to his forehead, forcing his tears to stop.

"I'll see you around," Naruto whispered tenderly as he fondly brushed his fingers against the side of his face.

Taking a deep breath, he threw a bright smile at the yakuza then left abruptly.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

Naruto was released from the hospital two days later with his personal effects. He refused any yakuza bodyguards. With Sasuke still intubated and mostly sedated due to his constant habit of trying to remove the breathing tube, he had no resistance on this matter.

After a very short conversation with Shikamaru, he took a train back to his apartment in Sakai. It felt like he had not been there for years. Immediately, a jolt ran through his heart as he remembered the last moments he had been there. He clenched his jaw and told himself that he would not be emotional. Quickly, he made a few calls to book a flight and hotel then packed a suitcase. He had only told Shikamaru that he was leaving. Not where, when or how long.

He felt as if he had been rubbed raw and he laughed at himself for being the sole cause of it. The flight was that same day. He called a cab when night hit. Hopefully, this trip will give him the closure he needed. He looked at the Samsung phone that Uchiha had given him, idly wishing that he could touch the guy one last time before he left. What was he thinking? This trip was to get over him. With a wry smile, he placed the phone on the counter.

The door shut behind him with a resounding click of finality…

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

As soon as the sickening tube was drawn out of his throat, he ignored the soreness and ordered, "Get me Nara and Kakashi on the phone now."

He was so fucking pissed: pissed at the fact that he was immobile in the hospital; pissed that the Akatsuki member actually did a number on him; pissed that Tsunade had kept him in a perpetual state of sedation; and overly pissed that his fucking dobe thought he could actually run.


	13. Reality

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I appreciate all the wonderful reviews. Hope you enjoy this chapter xD

**Chapter Twelve**

 

Impatience enveloped his demeanour as he waited for the final few to arrive. The appointed time that was set for the meeting had not arrived yet but by his opinion, it should have been over already. He had better things to do. Deep down though, he knew that his judgement was clouded. He spent the following five minutes steadily gazing at a nervous young detective, relishing in his obvious discomfort. Just as he became bored with the act, the door silently swung open to reveal the Chief Kimikaze and the Police Commissioner, Mu. Severe lines marred the latter’s forehead. It was obvious that he had reservations about being here.

Mu took a seat next to the Chief and spent a minute to inspect the persons present in the room. For some reason, the room was dimly lit, probably to set the gloomy mood he felt. With the top of the Kimikaze group compromised, only a selected few attended this appointment. Next to him sat Nara with Ryuu on his other side. Hatake also occupied one of the seats as a recognized informant of the underworld. As mentioned before, a young detective which was assigned to be the head of this case, meekly sat in the chair furthest from them. The chief and police commissioner made the attendees seven in total.

It was high time the situation was made clear to the public justice sector. They were blindly trying to solve the crimes by targeting the Kimikaze and other associated criminal organizations which were only serving to aggravate the situation. It was almost sad how they actually needed to be told what the fuck was going on so that they could get a hold of the situation. It reiterated the fact that one could not rely solely upon the system for true justice. They were an incompetent bunch, using up resources for a miniscule amount of results.

So after the umpteenth time the chief had to get one of his own from temporary confinement, he invited the top brass for a private meeting to handfeed him the information that he should have really been focusing on, Akatsuki.

“Okay, I’m here. Let’s start,” The commissioner said haughtily, tugging lightly on his moustache as he sat back in his chair. “I can lose my job if this,” he gestured vaguely around the room, “becomes public. So you damn well better make it worth my time.”

If Chief Kamikaze had not warned him to play nice, Sasuke would have politely told him what he thought of his competence in terms of his abilities to perform his job and just maybe, a little of his personal life. So, he sat silently, eyes unreadable as he observed the well-nourished man. How easy it would be to slip across the table and plunge a knife through his worthless heart. And he would never see it coming because he so arrogantly thought that because he was brought here he must have been too important to kill off. Well he did have a little value as someone who secretly was firmly in the yakuza’s pocket, lured effectively by money. The greedy pig.

Chief shifted his head in Ryuu’s direction.

“To get right to the gist of things. We are here to discuss what you are going to do to get rid of the pest that is causing trouble for all of us - Akatsuki. With the way that you have been coming at us, we would think that you have no idea at all who that is. Maybe you don’t…” Ryuu started, already throwing daggers at the law enforcer.

“Ryuu,” the chief said mildly.

Mu’s face was twisted into one of distaste, verging on righteous indignation. It was good that his pride was taken down a notch.

“It’s almost been two months since Akatsuki made their first big appearance at Shimiya University. They have been free to act with no pressure from you, law enforcers. We decided it was best to bring you in so that when we finally act to bring this mad group down, you would not stand in our way.”

The sizeable man took a deep breath as if to say something but the secretary continued.

“We managed to get hold of one of the members who might be at the top of Akatsuki. Uchiha has been in charge of his interrogation over the past few weeks. From him, we have learnt that the organization is run mostly by the leader who we have no identification of. Under him are six men who carries out his orders using -what we suspect- a vast number of men. Well, the overall disadvantage is that me have little knowledge of anyone’s identity but that is slowly changing as we have had a few encounters with some of the ‘sub-heads’. From that, the descriptions of the other sub-heads are more or less accurate. We will provide you with copies of the sketches made so that you would no longer be so much in the dark. By now, it is safe to say that Akatsuki is made up of mad men who disguise their act of mass murder by making a statement of warfare against us, the Kimikaze group. Well, maybe that may be one of their goals but I have to say that what they ultimately might want is to plunge Japan into a state of utter chaos. All of their actions up to now point to that. Even the bombing at the Nagoya station yesterday in one way or another affected all of us. Besides, it must look bad that even though the death toll is over five digits, you have not been able to catch the true ones responsible for the killings. And don’t get it wrong, blindly arresting all criminal groups are doing you no favours because Akatsuki is still free to continue their crimes.”

The police commissioner’s face by now resembled a red juicy apple. The young detective nervously looked between his superior and Ryuu, ready to dash out of the room at a moment’s notice. Sasuke settled back into his chair. He agreed with everything that was said so far. Frankly, it was quite important to get it into the heads of the law enforcers that Akatsuki themselves had to be stopped. Business had dropped drastically over the past three weeks since he had left the hospital. It was like the attack at his hotel had been the forewarning for Akatsuki to take their actions up an octave. They began bombing, having random shootouts and pilfering money from prominent businesses as well as government buildings. Their activities had started affecting the national economy. Hospitals were struggling to treat the increasing number of patients with already limited resources. The disposal of so many dead bodies were beginning to become a serious problem. Cremations and burials seemed to be occurring twenty-four-seven. Tensions were high in the government and thus the urgency to catch those responsible. Death and dismal despair hung over the island in heavy clouds. The situation had gotten out of hand.

This was probably why Sasuke had decided it was time to hand over Hidan to the authorities. It was time to bring them down for good. The loss of innocent life was like a hefty weight on their minds even though no one in the Kimikaze group admitted it aloud. The desperate situation had made allies out of even the unlikeliest persons. That was why Mu had no choice but to sit his ass down and actually work for once to actually get the bad guys. Some members of the Kimikaze had already experienced great loss and the thirst for blood ran heavily. The raven was actually glad that his stupid blonde was not in the country. Although he was quickly getting the idea that distance alone would not be able to stop the Akatsuki from doing what they wanted.

“Maa, Ryuu threw around some introductory words. The meat of the matter is how we are to deal with Akatsuki,” the silver-haired man spoke up, leaning forward to grab the room’s attention. “Let’s put our differences aside to deal with the bigger monster, ‘kay?”

No one said anything.

“The captured member informed us of many hideouts all over the country but we have yet to confirm any. All could be real or just a few can be or they can all be bullshit areas. However, we have no choice but to investigate all of them. We no longer have the luxury of being relaxed about how we approach this. Also, no disrespect to you police commissioner, Mu, but this is not something you and your men can handle on your own. So to make it clear, we will be involved in this undertaking and we will try to keep you in the loop as much as is allowed. Don’t worry, you can take full credit publicly when Akatsuki gets taken down. We don’t need police breathing down our necks with the type of methods we will use. As stated before, bigger fish to fry… Try not to be over-enthusiastic or you just might regret it.”

The threat was very clear. Kakashi’s visible eye flashed dangerously, a rare sight as he was always skilful in hiding his emotions. But policemen were funny like that. They worked with criminals to caught bad guys only to turn around to stab the help in the back.

Nara next to him cleared his throat. “We will provide you the list of locations at the end of the meeting as well as the other info that we have gathered so far. We plan to hit all the hideouts at the same time hoping to take the element of surprise as an advantage. There are about eleven hideouts in various prefectures. We will divide the locations amongst ourselves and attack at the same time. Our group might recruit outside trusted allies to work with us. I have to stress the need to be well prepared as Akatsuki is fully armed and hosts a pack of mad men. Who knows what they will do when cornered. We want to mitigate losses as much as possible. Our goal is to try to eliminate as much of their resources as possible, especially their anonymity. Even if we don’t get the leader, if all of his ‘sub-heads’ are take down, then it will be hard for even him to move. They are already two sub-heads down; four more to go. We also should not get our hopes up. This mission may very well be for nothing but it’s the first solid thing we’ve had so far. Uchiha is supposed to have one more go at the Akatsuki member to verify what he said and to see if we can get anything new out of him before we hand him over to you, Commissioner Mu.”

Most of what was needed to say had already happened. Hopefully, the meeting will end without Sasuke having to input anything. He had some really important things to accomplish after this. Everyone looked at the higher official. His eyes held an uncertain look. He did not like that one bit. The raven could name ten reasons at the top of his head and all of them might have something to do with his useless pride.

The Chief finally spoke up. “You don’t have to like it, Mu. If not for us, you would still be in the dark, blindly chasing after ghosts and getting your men stuck waist deep in shit. We all need this problem solved one way or the other. You need it more than us. The citizens are crying out for results. The death toll is continuing to rise. You should be hungry for anything to put your people at ease. It should not matter if you will be working alongside the same criminals who you want to put away or if you might have to overlook our methods. The end will justify the means.”

Sasuke wished he had added that the higher official was a criminal just as they were as he was swimming quite comfortably with the money they provided him every month. He supposed that would cause problems with the other detective that was in the room who was clean as far as he could tell.

The pudgy man snorted. “Is that why you did not mention in detail why there are only four sub-heads now?”

“Don’t ask questions you know you would not get answers to. That’s irrelevant,” Uchiha said in a dangerously quiet voice. He knew very well who had off-ed the Akatsuki member after he had a nice long conversation with the Nara boy. Not that anyone else in the room would have spilled those details. As he rightly said, it held no importance to what was the upcoming mission. Especially when they themselves were going with the kill-or-be-killed method.

The Chief sighed. He leaned back linking his fingers in front of him. “We already agreed that our communication will be limited and knowledge will only be passed along on a need to know basis.”

The young detective made a small sound. It was ignored. Maybe he disagreed but no one gave a fuck. This was going to happen with or without the police. Having them on their side just made things a little smoother in terms of dealing with the aftermath.

The police commissioner again took on his sour look but he said nothing. Finally, things were settled. Belittlement and humiliation probably sat like heartburn in the middle of his chest.

“Okay, the operation will take place seven days from now at exactly eleven o’clock in the night. Please remember this day. It is not to be mentioned again outside of this room to anyone outside of those who will be involved. Prepare well. I should not have to say that this is a highly dangerous situation. The only other time we will get in touch with you is to give you the locations you will be responsible for raiding or if there are any changes in the plan. Be careful that there are no leaks. If I catch wind of any, then that would mean that we cannot trust you and we will take matters into our own hands. Lastly, if any of your groups meet a dead-end, just be glad that your men get to see another day.”

The meeting ended on that dismal note.

 

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

 

 

The persistent vibration of his phone grabbed his attention as soon as he stepped out of the building. It was a call that he was expecting.

“Uchiha,” he answered.

“Sir, we’ve located the blonde.”

It was about fucking time. Three weeks of tracking the littlest of leads and scaring one or two poor souls had finally paid off. He had to admit that the blonde was pretty good. He knew how to hide himself when he desired. If the raven was not so furious, he would have expressed being impressed by giving him a pat on the back.

“Okay, mail me the details.” He ended the call briskly.

Jurou jogged up to him with the intent of escorting him to the car. Ever since he came out of the hospital, he was a tad bit more overbearing in his guarding duties. Not much he could have done about it. It was either the men he trusted or the men that the chief forced upon him should he refuse. With a mental sigh, he walked to the black Sedan, trying to hide the limp in his right leg but not quite fully.

As he sat, he plotted his options on how to proceed where his dobe was concerned.

 

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

 

 

_A wind gently picked up from the horizon. It glazed over green leaves and glided across the concrete of buildings. It teased the sand and dirt on the floor. Naruto would have likened it to the caress of a lover if the transient thing did not suddenly picked up in velocity as it reached where he stood in a clearing of luscious grass. His blonde tresses whipped into his eyes violently, stinging them. He squeezed his eyes shut, fighting an invisible battle to stay upright with the force of the wind. Then, it died down.  How fickle nature was._

_“Naruto.”_

_Cerulean eyes snapped open. That nostalgic voice he had wished for weeks that he could hear just once more of had gently called his name. Taking a deep breath, he slowly turned around._

_“Saku-,” her name died on his lips the moment he laid his eyes on her. His heart took an audible premature beat._

_In front of him, the scene swiftly transformed into that day he sometimes likened to hell. His friend laid prone on ground, covered by her own blood. Her entire lower body was gone and seemed to be the main source of the metallic substance. Her right arm was twisted in a grotesque position, a part of his ulna or radius jutting out quite visibly. She raised her head fully to him and it felt as if a thousand crawling insects were set loose upon his skin. Her face was saggy, melted as if intense heat had made her skin take on a waxy quality. No traces of pink could have been seen on what little bit of singed hair she had left. She opened her mouth in a hellish scream, black liquid poured out. The woman raised her other hand towards him, her skin peeled off, firmly adherent to the ground below. Naruto could only stare in utter horror. Guilt, fear and shame swirled within him as he contemplated running even as bile raised to the back of his throat. The smell was the worst of it._

_She continued screaming for what he thought was help but his feet remained planted in abject terror. So much agony. Was this how she really died? The blonde could not think about it. This could not be real. He raised his hands and covered his face, muffling his own scream that was just on the tip of his tongue. This had to be some sick conjured up occurrence. He turned away with every intention to run._

_“Are you going to abandon me again? It is your fault that I suffered this way before I died. You abandoned me. You left me! I cursed you with the last of my dying breath. You will suffer as I have!” Sakura’s contorted voice suddenly boomed and echoed darkly around him._

_Before he could turn back around, a force suddenly pushed him forward and he landed on the floor. He took a minute to collect his unravelling mind. He pushed himself up and felt a wetness under the palm of his hands. All around him, darkness covered. He clenched his teeth, as he felt around to try and discern where he was. His hand hit an object. He latched on to it like a life line. He traced it upwards then suddenly let go. It felt like a body. But it was cold to the touch, rigid. His stomach dropped._

_“Why the fear? There was none of that when you plunged a knife deep into my throat,” the deep male voice drawled. It was a voice he could never forget. Not in this lifetime. “Now you can no longer delude yourself into thinking that you are innocent. You have blood on your hands. No you are covered in it. And after we have dragged all those people you hold dear to the grave, I will personally come to drag you to hell to join me.”_

_Naruto desperately began wiping the thick wetness on his hands upon his clothes but they too clung to him, soaked. A whimper involuntarily escaped him. He crawled backwards far away from the body as he could as mad laughter resonated in the darkened space. Was he going crazy? He felt so. He curled into himself, whispering to himself gibberish in hopes that it might make the voice go away. Fear hovered ever so near at the words he knew deep down were true._

_Eerie silence suddenly permeated the room. Something clicked and the light which filled the room was blinding. In the brightness, he was able to see that indeed, he was covered in blood, the iron scent almost suffocating. Shivers wracked through his body violently. He felt as if he was having a nervous breakdown. Lifting his shaking hands, he tugged at his hair harshly. Maybe that would get him out of this horror show._

_Then, he heard the dragging of something. Footsteps thumped heavily as it came closer. The persistent sound of something heavy being dragged got closer. Naruto folded into himself even more._

_Drag. Thump. Thump. Drag. Thump. Thump. Drag. Thump. Thump. Draggggggg._

_It was right next to him now. The person dumped the load he was dragging right next to him. By now, his heart was in his throat. Choking him. He could not breathe. No one moved. He certainly did not want to. And yet, he knew that he had to see; needed to look. Uncurling just his head, his eyes looked upwards. Hovering over him was a figure, who had no face. Around the room stood similar figures. Each had one or two bundles on the floor beside him/her._

_‘No, no, no,’ his mind continually chanted as his mind finally registered what exactly were the ‘bundles’._

_The face of his father, his boss, his best friend, Hinata, Neji… Every single one of the people he held close stared back at him with lifeless eyes, their mouths opened in varying degrees of horror. Hot tears rolled down his cheeks. His heart felt heavy, in so much pain. His throat felt clogged. It was so hard to breathe._

_“This is the end result of those who oppose the Akatsuki…”_

_Cerulean eyes fell to the body just beside him. Everything in himself had felt as if it died. His face twisted in unbearable pain as dull obsidian eyes which he had come to love stared back at him blankly._

 

Naruto’s eyes snapped open as he released a loud gasp. Tears flowed freely from his eyes as he clasped a hand tightly over his mouth to hold in the pained shrieks that fell from his lips. The nightmare had been so vivid, so real. He still felt the emptiness from seeing the people he loved dead having been murdered in cold blood. Even though he had escaped all the way to the Caribbean islands to seek solitude and some sought of peace of mind, he was plagued by these sickening dreams every goddamn night. A piece of him died along with it every time. Tonight particularly had been pretty bad. He stumbled out of the bed and ran to the toilet just in time to empty his stomach’s contents of what little he had earlier in the day. 

Alone with his thoughts, he did what his bad habit usually forced him to do: reflect and repeat the mess in his mind. The cause of Sakura’s death. A murderer. A coward. A hypocrite. The cause of everyone’s death. A bit irrational but not too far from the truth, right? But what hit him the hardest this time was seeing Sasuke’s dull dark eyes, void of its intriguing depth. Never to look upon him again, or kiss him or force him into his own mould. Never to be his again. Granted, he did that all on his own when he ran away but death had a way of creating utter finality and permanence.

The blonde curled unto the bathroom floor and stared blankly at the canary walls that did nothing to improve his mood. He was too tired to cry anymore; too tired to lift the bottle of scotch just two feet away from him to his lips in order to dull the pain. It felt as if he had done more harm to himself than good by running away. But stubborn as he was, he would follow through with it. He just had to suppress the deep longing to see Uchiha at least one more time. It was an ungodly addiction much worse than his developing alcoholism. Closing his eyes, he fell back into a fitful sleep. His last thought was maybe he would have to buy a bottle of sleeping pills the following day.

 

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

 

 

Shoving his shades further up on the bridge of his nose, he sank his toes into the warm sand as he walked along the beach’s shore. The island of Barbados was truly beautiful. There were so many historical sites, lush greenery of forests and gardens to explore, picturesque beaches of white sand and clear azure waters much like the one he stood at now. If he was not ever so pressed down by depression he would have truly spent time to appreciate the views that a Caribbean island had to offer. Especially since he had taken a big dip into his savings for this trip. Instead, he spent his time finding the stores that sold liquor at its cheapest and binge drinking it in his room until he passed out or was stopped by one of the kind people who allowed him to stay in their home.

During the first week at the island, he was not as self-depreciating as he was at this moment and actually managed to charm a British family who were vacationing at their villa. After a few coincidental meetings, they invited him to spend the rest of his holidays with them. He supposed they were intrigued to have a blonde Japanese man around who could actually understand them. Not that he was complaining since he had lucked out with free lodging. What more could he ask for. When they arrived at the villa, he quickly realized that the family must have been filthy rich. With the providence of an occasional meal here and there, his expenses were cut by half and he was ever so grateful. However, he ensured that he did not take too much of an advantage of the naively kind family. In fact, they just made him feel more protective of them.

He shared his less dark thoughts with their nineteen year old son who was quite sullen to have been forced to join his happy-go-lucky family on this trip. He said that there was so much more he could have been doing during the Christmas holidays than enjoying the company of his two younger sisters and overbearing parents. Naruto told him that he better appreciate what he had now since not many people in the world can boast that they were so very blessed as he was with a full family who cared the whole world about him. They quickly became close after that. His name was Kyuubi –Naruto suspected it was a nickname that even his parents called him by.

The first few days after that was truly light and jovial until the nightmares started. Then came his downward spiral into depression and alcohol. He should have probably been given the Oscar award at how well he was able to hide his lack of appetite, his unwillingness to be in the company of others and his utter preference to dull the agony by drinking. Kyuubi was the only one who really noticed and Naruto pushed him away. A teenager’s empty words to let him in just seemed annoying and prying.

So he spent most of his time out of the villa, dropping in with a short conversation and a fake grin to keep the Smith family unconcerned. He felt his phone vibrate, one he had bought at the Smith’s insistence. It was probably Kyuubi. He had left at dawn without a word. Dusk was approaching then. Honestly, he could not recall exactly what he had done with his day as most of it was spent in a drunken stupor. He was surprised he was not in some police station by now. Lax law enforcement in a lax country? Yet, he found himself taking comfort in the sunset on the beach close to the villa.

He was so fucked up and he had no clue where to begin in order to fix himself. He sat on the warm grainy sand, ignoring the way it burned him slightly. A headache thumped behind his eyes but he ignored it. Ignored everything just to mindlessly watch nature at work. The orange warm colours that sprung to life at the end of everyday was breath-taking.  Enough to put him at ease even just for a moment.

The sun disappeared over the horizon, taking away its comfort and pulled the darkness within him to the forefront again. He pulled his bottle covered in brown paper to his lips then cursed when he realized it was empty. Damn, that could not be happening now. He was too sober to handle the thoughts that plagued him. Death hung around his neck like a tightening noose. The blonde tugged roughly at his hair. His phone continued to ring. With a sigh, he pulled it out of his pocket and answered.

“Kyuubi, what’s up?”

“Naruto, where are you? We have not heard from you all day. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m at the beach, taking a stroll. I needed some time for myself. Sorry to worry you. Can you tell your parents that and that I might be a little late in returning?”

There was a long pause. The blonde knew the red head was contemplating starting his speech on how if he wanted to talk about it, he was there. Naruto knew that the lad probably was aware that he did not take him seriously. “Naruto, I hope you at least had something to eat instead of just alcohol.”

“I did, don’t worry.” Naruto lied. It was kind of hard to really lie about it in front of them as he probably now looked three-quarter the weight of what he used to be.

“Okay, if you change your mind, we are having dinner in the Diner nearby.”

“Okay,” Naruto said with a light chuckle.

Just as he was about to hang up, Kyuubi hurriedly added, “Oh, I completely forgot. There was someone looking for you. He’s here now actually. At first I was suspicious but he seemed to know a lot about you. He said he was a, uh, friend. I’m handing the phone to him now.”

His heart slammed in his ribcage as he rushed to his feet. Who could it be? He knew he was ultra-paranoid when the first thing that rushed into his mind was Akatsuki. Had he dragged an innocent family into the crossfires? He felt sick once more. If not them, could it be Shikamaru, his father, or…

“Hello, dobe. Have you had enough fun yet?” The silky quality of that baritone made his legs feel like jelly. God, he was not expecting that at all. Still, indescribable happiness filled him even as he knew he was waist deep in shit. His throat became dry. His mouth opened and closed several times in an attempt to find some words to answer.

“Are you not going to say anything?” his voice became tinged with the tiny bit of annoyance that was oh so familiar.

God, how he loved him. He thought he would never hear him again after he had willingly walked away from what they had. He had thought that he did it out of self-preservation but instead it left him close to broken. After everything that had happened, how could he think that he could turn his back on it and still be fine? He could not even take care of himself properly. All the fears rose up again and what stood above them all was the fear of Sasuke’s death.

Holding in a pained sound, he sunk back to the sand as tears flowed freely. How many times had he promised himself that this would be the last time he found himself in this pitiful state of weakness only to do it again? What the fuck? When had he gotten this emotional? He choked back his sobs as he hung up.

He felt as if he had been broken into tiny pieces and he could not put himself back together. So much things had happened since he met this dangerous man. He would like to say that they were mostly only bad, but the few good times were something he had never had before. Something he had truly given up on. He always felt that mediocre was good enough. That way, he would not feel as bad when things went up in flames. He was so wrong.

He silently cried for all the times he could not; all the pain he had bottled inside him. And somewhere through the haze of blind emotions, a warm arm wrapped around him, a warm body pressed behind him. Naruto had half a mind to push him away but he did not. Look where pushing away others had landed him. Maybe, it was time to accept help.

And so, he cried messily just like he did when he was a child…

\---

The night sounds were quite loud as a cool breeze blew from the ocean. How odd it must seem to others to see two men sit in the darkness of the beach. The only light was from the residences and villas that lined the beach a good few meters away. The waves rhythmically washed ashore then pulled back out to the deep dark waters. It felt as if everything was at peace. They were in a bubble of their own.

“Naruto,” Uchiha murmured against his neck, sending shivers through his body. The blonde, in turn, tightened his grip of the hands which encircled his waist.

“Are we going to fight?” his voice had lost its smooth quality from his weeping.

“Not if you don’t want to.”

The blonde chuckled. “Oh how you’ve changed.”

“Hmm.”

“Weren’t you pissed?”

“I still am. But that could wait for tomorrow. I’m fucking tired. Having to deal with you after a twenty-two hour fight, is almost not worth it.”

Naruto remained silent.

Sasuke sighed. “Let’s go. I need sleep and you need a bath.”

Gracefully, he rose to his feet and pulled his companion up.

“I-I can’t. I told Kyuubi that I’ll be back.”

“Tch, so fucking call him and say that there’ve been a change in plans. It’s not fucking rocket science.”

“B-but, they will worr-,” the blonde said weakly. He felt so embarrassed to be around the man whom he had bawled like a child in front of.

“You’re not getting out of this, Uzumaki. Stop giving me unnecessary shit and start moving or I will move you.”

“Fuck you.” He glared at him.

Sasuke turned fully towards him and slowly glazed his eyes with unhidden lust over his body. His gaze spoke clearly of the acts he could do anytime he wanted and he let him know that he would be anything but the dominant one. The look shut him up immediately and he followed him to a sleek black car. Jurou acknowledged him with a nod and ushered them into the vehicle. In no time, they arrived at some luxurious hotel.

People spoke, greetings were shared, they walked and the blonde just followed in a daze. He wondered if he looked as shitty as he felt. Maybe he did with all the stares he was getting.

Finally they entered their suite, leaving the bodyguard at the door. He probably had another room. He could not fully appreciate the extravagance of the room even with its monochromatic theme. He spent a minute watching Sasuke take off his suit jacket and tie. When he felt stirrings in his nether regions, he turned to look for the bathroom. How could such a simple act turn him on? In the three weeks he had been away from the yakuza, he had forgotten how much of a walking sexy piece of meat he was. Throwing his clothes half-hazardly on the floor, he stepped into the complicated looking shower. It took a minute for him to discover how to actually turn the facet on and get the settings right. He took another minute under the heavy downpour of hot, almost scorching water. He picked up the sweet scented soap on the artistically placed ledge and began to soap up. In the middle of shampooing his hair, the glass door slid open. The bottle slipped to the floor in his surprise.

“Sasuke, what are you doing?” he said as he covered his manly parts with his hands.

“Taking a bath obviously,” the other deadpanned.

Naruto eyes danced everywhere but at the creamy expanse of skin that covered taunt, sinewy muscles.

“Couldn’t you wait until I was finished?”

“No, I’m tired. I want to take a quick bath then sleep. There’s nothing that you have not seen before and vice versa, dobe” The ebony-haired male picked up the soap and quickly washed himself.

True. Everything he said was true. Yet, it did not stop the saliva from pooling in his mouth. Why did everything always looked ten times better dripping with water? His eyes followed the trail of water that trickled down the nape of the other’s pale neck, down a well-defined back and to the swell of his ass. He swallowed and he raised his eyes to meet amused obsidian orbs. Just his luck to be caught ogling him.

“Like what you see?” he teased with a sexy smirk.

Naruto just continued to stare at him dumbly. Sasuke chuckled softly then slowly prowled towards him. The blonde squeezed his eyes shut. He did not think he was ready just yet for a tumble between the sheets. Yet the aching hard-on in between his legs said yes while his mind said no. If the other initiated anything, he would have readily gone along with it though. And so, the start of a hot and steamy night… never came.

The yakuza reached behind him for the shampoo, lathered up his hair, washed himself a second time with shower gel, rinsed off then stepped out the bathroom. Naruto was left again to stare blankly at the retreating back.

With a sigh, he himself finished up his shower. What a fucking tease. After putting his clothes in the washing machine, he wrapped himself in a robe and went in search of his place of rest. The tiredness of his continuous lack of sleep weighed heavily on his eyes. He walked into the bedroom and finally realized that there was only one bed upon which sat the scrumptious yakuza in only a comfortable grey pants, his damp hair slicked back and a laptop in his lap.

He was too tired to complain about anything more. Shuffling to the other side of the bed, he climbed in under the sheets and turned away from the enigmatic male. As much as he was weary, sleep did not come to him immediately. He stared at the dark world outside through the tiny parting in the drawn blinds. His cravings for alcohol became apparent. He sat up.

“What is it?”

“Nothing,” Naruto replied grumpily as he threw his feet over the side of the bed with the intention of seeking some expensive alcohol it was sure to have in the room.

Sasuke sighed. “There is no alcohol in the room. It seems you have taken to some bad habits in the time you ran away.”

An irrational rage filled him. Sasuke’s arm caught his just as he made to get up and storm out in a silent fit.

“Let me go,” he growled.

Sasuke placed his laptop on the bedside table and pulled the blonde back fully on the bed. “Let’s sleep.”

“I can’t.” Naruto jerked but the grip on him was firm.

The other pulled him closer, finally wrapping his arm around his waist as he relaxed against his pillow. Naruto began biting his nails.

“You’re rapidly on your way to being an alcoholic. To be honest, I’m mildly surprised at how much weight you’ve lost. We’ll see a doctor tomorrow and if possibly leave by the afternoon.”

“You can’t do that. It’s my choice to leave or not. I don’t need your fucking help.”

“Clearly, you do.”

After a minute of struggling against him, he gave up. He went back to biting his nails. A disturbingly panicked looked formed on his features.

“You can’t sleep.” The way Sasuke said it, it was more a question than a statement.

“The nightmares drive me crazy. I feel as if I’m in a hell of my own making,” he whispered as he stared up at him with wide eyes. “Just when I think I’ve gotten over Sakura’s death, the recent incident has dragged everything back into clear focus. With these hands, I’ve taken someone else’s life. In my head, I knew that I was not wrong in what I did but it does not change the fact that there is blood staining my hands. I’m a murderer. And I’m so scared that I might lose everyone close to me. Most days I’m a bundle of nerves. Alcohol is the only thing that helps me.”

The grip around him tightened. “Let me take your burden. If you can’t give it to me completely, at least let me share it. Naruto, you don’t have to walk down this road alone. I’ve dragged you down into this horror show. It’s the least I can do. I’m a selfish bastard so I don’t want to do what’s best for you and let you go. So let me help you.”

“Selfish, huh. That’s old news.”

“Hn.”

And Naruto shared his deepest fears, his pain, his thoughts and everything. He said all the things he never thought he would have said aloud. Uchiha patiently listened and commented occasionally. The blonde even got Sasuke to spill some of his inner thoughts. Eventually, he slipped into a dreamless sleep.

 

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

 

 

Naruto woke up close to midday the next day. He met Sasuke in the kitchen on the phone talking business matters, he assumed. He smiled at him before he walked back into the bathroom. He actually felt genuinely happy. It was not an emotion he had felt for a few weeks. He would enjoy it for as long as it lasted. The blonde was not so naïve to think that the threat back home had spontaneously disappeared. There would sure be more days of misery as long as Akatsuki was around.

He took a quick bath and put on his washed clothes. After a quick call to the Smith’s, he walked back into the kitchen.

“Let’s go.”

“Where?”

“To the doctor.”

He stopped himself from rolling his eyes. “I’m hungry. Let’s find somewhere to eat instead. I’m not ill.”

“Uzumaki.”

He glared at the dark male. “I’m only leaving this place if we are going to get something to eat. That’s final.”

For a minute, the other gave him a long emotionless stare that a few months ago might have made him shiver in his metaphorical boots. He met the gaze steadily.

“Fine.” He got up and prepared himself to check out.

As they made their way to the car, Sasuke reminded him that they were leaving at around five that afternoon. That was fine as long as he had time to pack his own things and say a proper goodbye to the family who were so kind to him.

 

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

 

 

It was evening the next day when they finally arrived back in Japan. Naruto was too jetlagged to do anything but shed his clothes, take a two minute shower before jumping in Sasuke’s bed. At Sasuke’s insistence, he came his penthouse in Kyoto. The place where he first discovered how obnoxious the man was. Despite all that, he still found himself in this suffocating relationship with him. However, he was so content. As the yakuza joined him on the bed, he recalled the first time they had shared a kiss here. He chuckled.

“What?”

“Remember when you had tied me to this bed that day?”

“Of course. It was the same day that I decided that I would make you mine.”

Naruto turned his body fully to him. He couldn’t believe he was going to do this but, well, all this tension had to stop somewhere, right?

“Yet after all this time, you’ve failed in doing so.”

Ebony eyes flew to his. As if approving what he saw, he licked his lips sensually as his eyes darkened even more. It was as if a switch had been flipped. The room’s heat rose. Naruto pulled himself into a seated position just as Sasuke crawled towards him predatorily, swinging his leg over to straddle his hip. All the tiredness were instantly replaced by raw lust.

“That can easily be changed,” the older man said sultry, his voice dropping a few octaves. His tongue traced the shell of his ears.

 Naruto took a firm grip of the other’s waist and ran his left hand over the contours of his back up to his pale neck and into his dark soft hair. He felt like a teenager at how hard he had immediately become. He tightened his grip and pulled Sasuke’s head to his, teasingly licking the other’s pale lips.

“Then, what the fuck are you waiting on?” he said raspily.

Sasuke growled before attacking his lips with a bestial fervour. They tasted each other, a taste that they had been too long without. The blonde shifted his head as he allowed the other’s tongue to enter him, to violate him. The messy sound of saliva mixing, pants and moans filled the room. Naruto was drowning and fighting a losing battle for dominance. Not that he cared. He ran his hands over every part of the yakuza’s body as he could. He was quite happy that he was initially shirtless. Frustration built as his erection persisted without any direct stimulation. He leaned forward, biting his partner’s bottom lip, almost drawing blood. Sasuke gave him an infuriating smirk and he used his weight to push him onto his back.

He resumed the teeth clanking kiss. Rolling his hips to meet the other’s erection. He moaned deeply, wantonly. He twisted his tongue around Sasuke’s and tasted every crevice of his orifice. He found that the yakuza’s breath hitched every time he slowly ran his tongue slowly over the roof of his mouth. One weak spot located. With half lidded eyes, he shifted his attention to that pale neck. Spreading Sasuke’s legs, he settled himself more comfortably as he worked on marking his neck and chest all the while keeping a steady undulation of his hips. He felt quite proud that he was the one making the other’s breath short-circuit and chest heave heavily.

His tongue created a path from the neck to his right nipple. He circle it and when it became impossible hard, he bit at it. Sasuke hissed and the blonde looked up him with a devilish smile. He continued his ministrations on the other nub then reached down to the dark-haired man’s cock. He was impressed by the sheer girth of it. Saliva pooled in his mouth as he released it from its confines. Fuck, even his cock looked attractive. He may or may not have literally drooled on Sasuke as he admired it as he firmly stroked it from base to tip. It was so hot, hard, pulsating. He placed open mouth kisses on his stomach to his hips. Just as he was about to taste him, the older male, yanked him up then, rolled them over.

“Not today. My turn,” he said lowly. Guess he was down for business.

He dragged Naruto’s boxers off him. There was a momentary pause when he reached into his drawer for something. The blonde’s heart thumped in his chest in anticipation as butterflies filled his stomach making it do silly flip-flops.

Obsidian eyes locked on his as he seductively took his cock into his mouth. Naruto bit his lip to hold in the loud moan with spilled forth. He lapped at his erection from the bottom of the shaft to the tip then wrapped his lips around just the tip, sucking him deeply. Naruto was a mess of pants and moans. Sasuke’s tongued the opening of the head before deep throating him. Naruto groaned and moaned like a whore and he did not even care. He tangled his fingers into dark hair and forced himself to not thrust his hips into the moist heat of utter pleasure which he was so lost to.

Then he felt a cold finger prodded at his entrance.

“Relax,” Sasuke commanded as he ran his tongue of the underside of the head.

The finger entered causing a bit of discomfort. But that was easily forgotten as the yakuza continued his godly administrations. Soon a second finger joined, then a third. He winced softly. Sasuke continued to stretch him, sucking him off expertly. Naruto was just thankful that he had not become soft in the middle of it all. He doubted that would ever happen when it was Uchiha as the other partner. Suddenly, intense pleasure jolted through his body. His hip lifted off the bed involuntarily as he gasped. Wide eyes met pleased ones.

“Stop being a fucking tease and get on with it.”

“Hmm, I’m going to enter you now. Don’t think I could last much longer anyway.”

Naruto tensed a little when he heard the rubbery sound of a condom slipping on then felt the hardness of his lover’s erection press against his entrance.

“Never thought there would be a day you would admit that out loud.” Naruto said, distracting himself. He bit back a moan as Sasuke firmly stroked his sensitive erection.

Sasuke lazily raise his shoulders in a shrug. “Why not? Especially since I’m getting to fuck you into tomorrow.” He ran his hands over tan thighs before spreading it even wider. The lust in his eyes increased, if that was possible.

He gently rocked his hips forward. Naruto clenched his eyes shut as Sasuke’s tip entered. A bit of stinging ripped through him. Shit he was going to feel this tomorrow. He gripped at the sheets tightly. Sasuke leaned over him, he opened his eyes to look at the Adonis that was now completely his. Sweat rolled down his forehead. There was a look of utter concentration on his face from holding back from just plowing into him. He raised his arms and wrapped them around his neck, pulling him down to his lips. Slowly, he moved his lips against him. Sasuke kissed him back so soundly that he forgot about the pain. Then his felt the other’s hips against his ass. Fuck, he felt so full. He clenched, testing the newness of the sensation. Sasuke’s breath hitched. The blonde smirked against his lips and did it again.

“Fuck,” he groaned.

“Move.” Naruto ordered.

Sasuke slowly pulled out then plunged back in. He hissed. The raven did this several times, switching angles. Finally, he hit his prostate. Naruto went slack with pleasure. From then, they entered a frenzy of carnal actions. The pace was increased, Sasuke’s cock bringing him intense pleasure with every thrust. The bed creaked with the vigorous movements. Naruto realized the intensity of the pleasure last time did not come close to now. A string of curses fell from his lips as he called Sasuke’s name. He didn’t think the other could understand him but he still wantonly asked him to go faster, deeper. He met every thrust with his own. Sweat poured off them and made their bodies slick. He clung to the raven. Pre-cum freely flowed from his cock.

“Sa’ke, close. Soo good. Harder!” he whimpered as he felt the intensity building.

Sasuke bent himself to bite Naruto’s neck while harshly twisting his nipples. His companion twitched violently. He was panting inaudibly. He was close too. To be honest, he had not felt such gratification in this act since, well, ever. He locked eyes with the beautiful cobalt orbs that was unfocused with pleasure. He plunged into him deeper yet.

Naruto’s arms brought him close again. Had it been anyone else, he would have been annoyed. But as he heard the harsh whisper of three little words that made his eyes widen in shock, his heart slammed in his chest in euphoria. Naruto’s back arched off the bed, as he spasmed around him. He came beautifully, his eyes squeezed shut, nails sinking into his back. His face was twisted in overwhelming bliss. The glow of his tan skin was ethereal. His climax was pulled out of him and he gasped at the intensity of it all. He felt a strange sensation at the pit of his stomach. It grew when Naruto came down from his coital high to give him the most contented alluring smile ever. He covered it with his mouth. This was his. All of it now belong to him. There was no way he was going to give it up now.

They both spent some minutes trying to catch their breath all the while stealing kisses here and there.

“That was… I can’t even describe it.” Naruto’s hoarse voice sounded.

Sasuke silently agreed.

The blonde turned to face his partner. He gave him a meaningful look then voiced softly. “Sasuke, I’ve now given you all of me. I’ll kill you if you ever fuckin betray me.”

The yakuza chuckled finding the threat endearing but still binding. “The same goes for you.” He pulled his lover on top of him.

At Naruto’s questioning gaze, he enticingly murmured. “Now, for round two out of three or more.”

The blonde could only gaped at him. Sasuke leaned up and kissed him while running his fingers over his twitching ass. Naruto moaned indecently.

 

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

 

 

Despite having only two hours of sleep, Uchiha was up by six on the dot. He had wasted three days already in his quest to bring Naruto back home. In four more days, the mission would commence and hopefully at the end of it, he would truly be able to put Naruto’s fears at ease. He glanced down at the sleeping male next to him, he felt a wave of affection run through him. His fingers brushed some blonde strands out of his face, revealing a weary face. Maybe he did go a little too hard on him for his first time. Who the hell told him to be so goddamn tempting? He pressed his lips to his eyes then left the room to start official business.

\---

When Naruto woke up, he was greeted by Mira. He was slightly disappointed but he understood that there were more important matters he had to deal with. After a friendly chat with the maid, he made to get out of bed and realized his grave mistake. He sprawled unto the floor as pain shot up his back and radiated to his hips. His ass itself was sore as hell. This put him into a foul mood for the rest of the day. Mira offered to help him to the bathroom but he refused, trying to salvage what little dignity he had. Basically, he dragged himself to the bathroom and into the bathtub that she kindly prepared for him. His ass stung like a bitch but the heat eased the agony of his back. Sasuke had overdone it. Four times were too fucking much. He just had to conveniently not be there to face his wrath, huh. Revenge was a bitch was what he said to that.

He spent the rest of the day in bed, waited upon by Mira who provided him with three large meals and a lot of snacks in between. He almost felt sick after eating too much. Apparently, Uchiha had left her with orders to fatten him up. Naruto had laughed at how he felt like a pig being fed to be eaten in the end.

He lived the full sedentary life the following day too; more soured by the fact that he did not see Sasuke for the entirety of the previous day. He called him up and was swiftly dismissed. Well, that caused him to swiftly pack up his things and take a train home despite the dull throbbing in his ass. Yeah, real mature but he felt he was entitled to being a bit spoilt. He was careful to stay in crowded areas and keep a sharp look out for anyone suspicious. Well, he was cautious about everyone actually. He had jumped up and ran out of the train when an old woman walked up to him. He ran to the train attendant only to embarrassingly stutter out a half-paranoid excuse that he felt he was being followed. The guy in uniform politely went and took a half-hearted look around the station then offered to call someone to escort him home. Naruto politely declined and hopped the next bus out of there. The man probably thought he was schizophrenic. 

At home, he did some much needed cleaning and laundry. He spent the next two hours calling up his dad and friends to tell them that he was back and his mental breakdown had been averted. His dad was most upset and took the longest to calm down. He became even more fretful when he learned that it was actually his boyfriend who had to bring him back home. A lecture was given to him on how he should not cause his partner so much trouble. He further insisted that it was about time he met Sasuke over a meal. Naruto avoided giving an answer. He did not know what the future held for him so he did not want to pull Iruka into this mess too.

Around mid-afternoon, he got a call from a very irate Sasuke.

“Are you home?”

Naruto twitched at the low tone that spoke of barely suppressed anger. “I am. There was nothing to do at your place and it was about time I actually came home to mine.”

“That would have been fine if you had at least told me.”

“It slipped my mind.” Naruto said lightly, knowing full well that he did it to piss the man off.

The silence which followed after was so long that the blonde had to pull the phone away from his ears to check that the call was still ongoing.

“Uzumaki, we’ll talk more in detail later. Mira and a few of my men are on their way to your place. Keep a lookout for them. For fuck’s sake, be more careful.”

“I was.”

“Don’t piss me off further. No more fucking adventures without bodyguards. You understand? Akatsuki has been a lot more active and indiscriminate in their violence.”

Naruto clicked his tongue, somehow feeling more like a seven-year old child being reprimanded than the twenty-four year old lover he should have been.

“Uzumaki.”

“I fucking hear you.”

Naruto thought the conversation was over but the other’s voice dropped in volume and took on a softer quality as he said, “Naruto, I’ll go insane if anything else were to happen to you. I feel as if I’m already halfway there with the rollercoaster of shit you’ve been putting me through.”

His self-righteous bubble popped instantly. He immediately felt bad for taking off like the immature brat he was. He really was unintentionally playing with fire. “My bad. I’m just so used to doing things without seeking permission.”

“You’ll get that back as soon as I clean up these streets of the stinking trash.”

Naruto did not miss the ‘maybe’ that was muttered underhandedly after the statement. It made him laugh instead of angering him.

“I love you, Sassy. I can call you that, right?”

The phone call dropped. The bastard hung up on him. That only pulled a wave of laughter from his belly. Oh how he wished he could see his expression at that.

In less than an hour’s time, there was a knock on his apartment door. It was Mira and a few men in dark suits. He had never seen their faces before but the maid assured him that they were all Sasuke’s men. Only one stayed in the apartment while the other two went on patrol outside.  The neighbours were sure to be in for an unhealthy shock when they saw them. It was hard to mistake them for anything but yakuza.

Liming with Mira was surprisingly entertaining. She kicked his ass in Street Fighter four out of five times. Well, look who had hidden gaming talents. Thus, the rest of the evening and night was spent playing videogames with the occasion pause for Mexican food (his sudden craving).

 

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

 

 

“What do you think about this?” he held up the lamest wool sweater he could find with hearts covering the majority of the space around ‘Forgive me’ printed in bold at the centre. He could not believe that something as atrociously hideous as this was actually made. Maybe it was because idiots like him actually bought it.

Mira giggled as she said, “I believe it fits what you were looking for.”

Naruto nodded in self-satisfaction. Shikamaru was still vex at him and he was determined to get back into his good graces with the corniest of gifts that came from his manly heart. He was halfway done writing his love letter to him. He just needed some crayons and stickers to make it complete. He was also contemplating making a cake but he doubted that it would last the trip to Tokyo.

There was a pep in his step as he exited the store with his purchase. Maybe he should get a bff ring to complete his package. Damn, he was so excited to see the brunette’s look of disgust when he opened up everything. Flowers were also a part of the set. He always went all out to apologize to Shika when he knew he fucked up majorly. It was the least he could do after the man put up with so much of his bullshit through the long years.

Trying to ignore the buff men that followed them, Naruto and Mira entered an arts and craft store. Suddenly, he was happy that there was a women with him. It would have been so awkward adding a pack of silver glitter to his purchases without somehow emasculating himself to the female cashier.

As soon as he stepped out of the store, he heard two gunshots. Everything fell into chaos. With Naruto’s heart in his throat, he turned in time to see his two bodyguards slump to the floor with a hole in the middle of their heads. It was so surreal. People screamed and scrambled to get to safety as gunfire continued. All this was going on in the bright sunlight. The blonde watched in rapt horror as he witnessed a woman holding her toddler being shot in the back. The shooter had his face covered completely by a black mask with dark shades on. He also had on a dark trench coat that was as conspicuous as fuck.

Mira grabbed his arm, pulling him with urgency. “Move!”

Naruto ran away from the terrifying scene, ashamed that he could not do anything else. Who was so goddamn crazy to start killing people in broad daylight? Stupid question. But, seriously? This was happening? He increased his speed as he felt as if his mind was floating outside of his body. He constantly told himself that he could not afford to let fear paralyse him. He needed to think clearly; stop spazzing out. Was this just another of Akatsuki’s crazy acts of murder or were they really after him? Somehow, he did not want to find out.

“Where do we go?” Naruto forced out amidst his heavy breathing. Going back home was not an option.

“I would have preferred one of my boss’ hideouts but the closest place is the police station,” Mira replied, her face scrunched in a look of determination. Her steady stride told him that there was more to her than cooking and cleaning.

They turned the corner and sprinted down the block. There was only one more block to go. Naruto kept his breathing steady, his legs pumping against the pavement. His mind was so blank that he forgot his dread. At the corner of his eyes, he noticed slight movement but it was too late to completely avoid it. He only had time to grab Mira’s arm tightly and shield her as a car zoomed out of an alleyway to hit them dead on.

Pain shot through his legs first and through his body as he hit the pavement with a heavy thud. His breath was knocked out of him. The ringing in his head made him wonder if he had missed slamming his head against the road too. Everything seemed to play in slow motion. His vision focused in and out and he stared back at Mira in a daze as she tugged desperately at him to get to his feet. That was not possible. The intense anguish in his legs, especially his left, made him suspect that he they were severely sprained if not broken.

“Go,” he managed to croak out as he heard the car doors open. There were at least two people.

Mira reached into her bag and pulled out a Glock. God, that was such a bad idea. Before she could place her finger on the trigger, she was shot in her right shoulder. A short red-haired man stepped over him and kicked her in the face. The gun spiralled out of her hand as she fell back unto the pitch. The gun landed close to his hands. He had to do sometime. So he reached for it but was stopped as a booted leg stamped unto his fingers. He held in a pained cry as he grinded his foot into his hand.

“Looks like we have people who are just full of not too bright ideas, huh.” A blonde man stooped next to him as he grinned widely.

Naruto could hear the sound of a foot meeting flesh on the other side of him. He was so scared that another person he knew would die in front of him.

“Sasori, stop. Don’t kill the poor thing. We need someone to relay the news to Uchiha,” the man said lightly as if he was just taking about the mundane weather.

Naruto glared at him, hatred overshadowing any other emotion. He wished he had a weapon to kill another one of these sick fucks. He would be doing the world a big service. In fact, he didn’t mind being soaked in blood if it meant that he no longer had to sleep with one eye open or wait to hear that one of his own was killed by them. They did not deserve to live.

“Oh ho, you’ve got some spunk in you huh. I like that look in your eyes. Can I say that it is my utmost pleasure to finally meet Uchiha’s fuck-boy? Let’s see how much feistiness is left after we are done with you.” He grinned jovially before he stood and drew his foot back to swing it forward sharply towards the blonde’s temple.

The younger male went limp as a noodle. With a happy whistle, he lifted the man unto his shoulder and skipped back to the car where he deposited him in the back seat.

“Sasori, we’re done here. Let’s go. And for fuck’s sake, stop hitting the goddamn woman. She’s already unconscious.”

 

 


	14. True Agony

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS EXPLICIT LANGUAGE AND TRIGGERING TOPICS SUCH AS VIOLENCE, TORTURE AND GORE. PLEASE DON'T CONTINUE READING IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE TO SUCH THINGS.

**Chapter Thirteen**

The aura surrounding Sasuke crackled and rolled with uncontrolled murderous intent. Though he hid it well behind a wall of blank nothingness. Those who did not know him well would never know that he was just one tiny step from putting a hole into anything that moved. He was wound up tighter than a coiled snake and the intense emotions flowing through him did not quite fully register. Through all that though, he had one -only one- goal in mind and even if he had to kill every single person in Japan, it would be accomplished. Obligations, duties, plans – all that meant jack shit to him now. What he needed now was to see blood. He had been going about this the wrong way from the start. It was time to throw away what little humanity he had left.

Ignoring the pathetic police officer which attempted to stop him, he barged into the office of the Police Commissioner. Although he was not in his right mind, he had enough sense to only bring Jurou with him and leave his firearms in the car. The hefty man was startled out of shoving a donut down his throat as he looked up to find his worst nightmare at his office door. His round face began to turn red in indignation.

"Get out!" Mu shouted at the police officer who stuttered excuses for failing to do his job. He was probably going to get fired.

As soon as the door closed behind the two of them, Mu stood to his feet, shoving his chair back before stalking towards them.

"How dare you come into my office like this? In front of everyone! How am I supposed to explain this to the top brass when they come asking?" the man exclaimed.

Uchiha's face was well known so it was a bit hard to cover this up for what it really was- a yakuza paying a friendly visit to a law enforcer.

"You figure something out. I want Hidan," the raven said stonily, his eyes frigid. He had given him up into police custody but now he needed him back. He needed certain answers without any doubts. At this point, he could not handle it.

The pudgy man shifted his gaze to Jurou before quickly bring it back to Uchiha with an empty chuckle. "He's joking, right?"

The stare which landed on him was heavy and shook him to the bone. He took a step back in fear.

"Do I look like I'm joking?" His deep voice was monotonous. His patience was wearing thin.

"Uchiha, do you know what you are doing? Hidan's already been booked into the system. We already made a report to the public that we had captured an Akatsuki member. We can't just give him to you. More importantly, the operation is fucking tomorrow. Just what the fuck are you doing?" the aged man hissed.

"We can do this the easy way but I'm more inclined to the hard way. Say your next words carefully." Sasuke said threateningly, his eyes going somewhat unfocused.

"Uchiha, you have threatened my position by coming here. Now you're threatening me? You've fucking lost you mind. Get out before I have you ar-"

His words were cut off when Jurou rushed forward, grabbing him by his neck and swinging him unto the table. Papers scattered to the floor as a tense silence descended. The man's eyes open widely as he watched the yakuza sub-head casually put on his gloves. Full-blown fright choked his lungs as he finally took a good look at the other. He had not noticed it before but the suit that the raven wore was crumpled, his hair dishevelled as if he had ran his hands through his hair one too many times. He had also mistaken the look in those obsidian eyes for passive emotionlessness. Those eyes danced with a half-crazed gleam he had never seen before and it was downright frightening.

"Arrest me? Mr. Commissioner, you don't seem to understand your position very well. It seems a reminder is in order," he murmured softly and dangerously as he took a step forward.

"Wait, wait!" The man squealed out through his limited air supply. "I'll give him to you!" A man with absolutely no backbone.

A minute lapsed where no one moved or breathed. Uchiha took on a mildly contemplative look then he made a slight gesture to Jurou. The bodyguard released him, straightening out his suit as he walked back to his boss' side.

"Good. You can have one of your men bring him to me or you can do it yourself. I'll be waiting with a car in the alley."

The man slowly sat up, clutching at his sweaty neck. "You do realize that you have just attacked me. You have just jeopardized the entire mission. I'll report you to Kimikaze, you crazy son of a bitch. Then, I'll have you arrested. When you are behind bars, I would like to see how much arrogance is left."

He was just like a dog, barking and never learning from past mistakes.

"Mr. Police Commissioner, it seems you don't realize the position you are in. You are corrupt and rolling in dirty money. One word to the right person is all it would take to kick you out of office and discredit your integrity. All you need to do is keep your head low and bark when we tell you to. Your place is way down in the food chain; it would do you well to remember your place. If I killed you now, with a few calls, it would be swept under the rug. That's the funny thing about power. It makes one untouchable and you," Uchiha passed a contemptible eye over the other, "are far from that. You have five minutes."

He exited the office with the silent words of death echoing behind him.

Hidan was brought to him, handcuffed and severely limping by the Commissioner himself. Obviously, he was trying to salvage what little he could from this situation. However, Uchiha suspected that half the police force probably knew he was dirty. Mu continued to mutter about how he had sabotaged him and what he was supposed to do when their only suspect was gone. Frankly, Uchiha could not give two fucks outside his agenda. Besides, if he followed through with what he was going to do, the man did not have to worry about the Akatsuki anymore. The downside might have been that all of the members would be handed to him in body bags.

Not in the mood to deal with the Akatsuki member's bullshit, he immediately slammed his head against the car, knocking him out, then shoved him in the trunk. Soon, Jurou was on his way to a random remote location in Kyoto. Secrecy was not important at this point. In fact, nothing else really mattered after he got that fucking phone call from one of his men. He felt disappointed at their incompetence which led him into the state he was now. He did not think himself cold for not caring that Mira was in critical condition in the hospital or that two of his men were dead. They had all let him down. They had one job to do and they had failed. His dobe was now in _their_ hands. The only men he trusted himself to be around now were his trusted few which included Jurou, Masashi, Ichiro and a few others. It would look bad if he began shooting his own men, wouldn't it?

He did not have the luxury to stop and regret what happened. He needed to think and act. Akatsuki was a ruthless group and he had no idea what they would do to the man he claimed as his own. No, he could not think about it or he felt as if he might breakdown. He squashed the stifling emotions down and calculated his moves step by step. That was the only way he was going to get through this; the only way he would solve this problem with his mind intact. Ignoring the tenth call from Ryuu, he forcibly emptied his mind. He was stepping fully into this dog fight against Akatsuki. Two could play dirty at this game.

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

Chains clattered around noisily around his feet as he adjusted his tied up position on the ground, adding to the excruciating pain in his head. The blonde had woken up moments ago, agony permeating every inch of his body; but it mostly concentrated in his head and legs, his left in particular. This was a state he was finding himself in quite frequently in recent times and it did not set him into a panic as it would have done months ago. The darkness and silence around him stole his sense of time and reality. However, he did not allow the pseudo peace to lull him into a sense of security. Naruto knew he was as deep in shit as he would ever be. He'd been kidnapped by Akatsuki, a group filled with ruthless, insane killers with no logical purpose.

With a huff, he tested the strength of the rope immobilizing his arms behind his back for the umpteenth time. A useless action, he knew, but he did it to keep his mind out of treading into hopeless thoughts even as the chain around his ankles and the dark, most likely secure room told him the blatant truth. He rolled unto his stomach when his arm started cramping from lying on his side too long. Several times he wondered about his fate but then blanked his mind. There was really no need to think about it because he _knew_. He goddamn knew…

Time, an abstract concept, slipped by as he blankly stared into the darkness. Sometimes he slipped into a restless doze when he felt the pain in head became too much to tough through. A sound of movement startled him out of his daze-like trance into alertness. A tiny sensation of fear slithered into the recess of his calm mind. A suffocating feeling filled his throat and he forced himself into a state of tranquillity. It did not make much sense to freak out before anything really began to happen. He huffed out a heavy breath and stared blindly ahead of him.

Akatsuki had kidnapped him to get leverage on Uchiha. God, he hoped nothing happened to the raven. His heart clenched to think that he would be the reason any harm came to the man. He'd come to love him so much that he would choose his life over his own any day. Naruto only hoped that emotions would not cause the yakuza to act stupidly. A soft chuckle escaped him. Of course that would not happen. No matter how much rage consumed Sasuke, his intelligence would not allow him to make foolish mistakes that would add regret unto his dark record. That was one thing they had in common. No regrets. Well, damn, he was going to break that now, wasn't he? Of course, it was not by any fault of his.

Against his wishes, the things he wanted to do before his life came to an end flashed across his mind. They were not grand wishes like travelling to Paris or acquiring a humble house close to the sea or even having a child of his own. It was the simple things that he had taken for granted. He had not made up with Shikamaru for running off without telling him shit, like usual. He realized how he treated his friends like strangers even when he contrarily told them that they were family. Oh how he wished he had a little more time to tell them how much he appreciated them. His dad was another person he had neglected even though he loved him to pieces. The blond could not recall the last time he had a family night out and actually spent time with the old man. He regretted not telling Sasuke seriously how much he had fucking fallen head over heels for him; words would not have been enough, he had to show it to him for him to understand that his heart was no longer his. Suddenly that one night where they had joined several times was not enough.

His eyes burned as a painful lump formed at the base of his throat. What the fuck had he been doing with his life? He wished he had caressed his lover's ivory skin a little more; he wished he had not been so indecisive so they would have gotten to spend more time in each other's company. He wished he had not been so afraid of himself to whisper that the hazy lustful spell he was under in the beginning was so much different now, so much more gratifying than he ever thought it would be. His only comforting thought was that at least his seemingly last words to the bastard were his real feelings even if they were not said with the feeling and passion he really felt.

Naruto chuckled wryly. He'd miss his bastard of a boss too. Clenching his fist together, he ground his forehead to the dusty ground. He squeezed his eyes shut, not allowing one tear to escape. He would show no weakness to the monsters who snuffed the life away from his good friend and threatened to continue to do the same to the people dearest to him. He would meet them with steady eyes and if he got the chance, he would take another one of the fuckers to hell with him. He held no illusions that he might be rescued. It was not that he did not think that Sasuke was searching for him. He probably was wreaking havoc through the streets of Japan. However, just like he believed in Uchiha's wrath and dangerous persistence, he also believed in Akatsuki's ruthlessness and madness. After every action, lives were lost. He seriously doubted that he would be an exception. He hoped that when Sasuke found him, his would be one of the last lives given up in vain for a mad man's whims.

Suddenly a metal door swung open, creaking loudly with age and rust. It cut through his thoughts and increased the steady thumping in his head. Bright light flooded into the room and it took minutes for his squinting eyes to adjust to the differing light setting.

"Hello, blondie!" a voice cheerful called. "I hope you're awake. It's time for playtime. I hope you don't mind. We want you to join us."

Naruto refused to release a groan as his headache intensified with the noise. In fact, he refused to satisfy them with a response of any kind. He laid on the ground limply and closed his eyes, hoping they had not seen it open.

"Oh no, Sasori. Do you think he still might be asleep?" the familiar voice continued. He recognized it as blond man that had kidnapped him personally.

Footsteps started towards him. In the next minute, pain shot through his left leg as someone stomped on it. Naruto jerked and released a pained grunt through his clenched teeth.

"Seems not, Deidara," a new voice said so coldly that it sent involuntary shivers down his spine. The man closest to him added pressure to his leg by putting his full weight unto the damaged limb.

Naruto allowed heavy breaths to escape his lips as he tried to regulate how he reacted to the odd but excruciating sensation of his abused leg. Yep, his leg was definitely broken. Squinting up at his torturer, he recognized the short redhead with the patch over his left eye as the man who had accompanied the blond and had beaten up Mira. He jerked his leg with another laboured grunt from under the man's shoe and shifted his body swiftly to sink his teeth into his attacker's right leg, biting down hard. It was his intention to separate some flesh but he had little hope in doing so with the protection of the soft pants. However, it satisfied him immensely when he heard a hiss of pain before a kick sent him reeling backwards and his consciousness fizzing out.

The next time he regained awareness, he was lying flat on his back on a cold metal surface, his hands strapped immovably at his sides just like his legs. The agony in his head made it impossible for him to open his eyes. Shaking his head slightly did nothing to relieve the disorienting feeling he had. Another blow to his head just might put him out of this nightmare for good.

"Seems like the little fucker is awake," his abuser, he believed his name was Sasori, said nonchalantly over to the side somewhere.

A giggle followed his voice. "Blondie is quite rabid like a dog. Bad luck that you weren't doped up on the drugs, huh." This was most likely Deidara.

"Tch."

"Well, it is playtime so you'll get to pay back the little blondie. Leader gave us free rein for an hour." A squeal sounded and hands clapped together lightly. The glee behind that action was terrifying.

Naruto swallowed the rising bile. He cleared his throat twice before he tried to speak. He might as well try to sort of understand the crazy fucks before he was no longer in his right mind.

"What was the point of kidnapping me?"

There was a tiny moment of silence that seemed as loud as it was long.

"Uh, I believe it was done so that the Leader could get his hands on the Uchiha bastard," Deidara said uncertainly.

"What do you want with him so badly?" Naruto questioned again. He was finding it hard to draw a connection between the leader of Akatsuki trying to get Sasuke to declaring war against the Kimikaze group and killing innocent people. Yeah, it seemed pointless to try to rationalize the actions of insane people but he needed some semblance of logic so it will keep his bubbling terror under control.

"Not us. The Leader wants to fuck him," the other voice said crudely.

Blond eyebrows scrunched together over his closed eyes. What?

"Yeah, don't know what the boss sees in that prick but he wants him badly. He's upset because the Kimikaze's head laid hands on what was his and now you," the blonde companion added, clicking around and resting what sounded like tools on another metal surface.

Sasuke had been sleeping with the head of the clan? Wait. That was not important. The past was the past. He believed in the bastard to know that he would not fuck around while he was with him. What shocked him was that this entire mess and chaos was because of a man wanting to get his hands on another man. Lives were lost senselessly because a man did not understand he could not always get everything in life. The pointlessness of it all almost made him burst out in laughter. He hoped with every fibre of his being that the sick leader of this terrorist group would never get to lay his disgusting hands on his lover. Someone like that needed to die a slow painful death which lasted over a period of at least a year.

Wheels creaked noisily as a cart filled with clanking instruments was pushed to his side. Naruto clenched his hands into fists. He did not bother to open his eyes. There was no need to actually view his surroundings to know what was coming.

"Okay, so I'm ready!" The blonde said eagerly with a little giggle. "Sasori, are you ready?"

"Hn."

"Little blondie, are you ready?"

His nails bit into his skin of his palm.

"Now, now. Don't be a spoil sport. You have to answer. It takes two to play a game," Deidara chided lightly, swatting his shoulder playfully.

Naruto felt sick all over again. He purposefully blanked his mind.

"Aww, Sasori, he wouldn't play along. Even after we answered his questions and all." If Naruto's eyes were open, he knew he would have seen a pout on the other blonde's face.

"Why does it matter? What do you want to start with first?" the monotonous voice said.

"Hmmm, let's start with the most delicious part set out right in front of us," the other cooed, running a finger down the captive's chest.

"I agree," Sasori said, some kind of emotion slipping into his voice that the young secretary was not sure he wanted to identify.

Suddenly, he felt the material of his shirt being shredded and torn off him. He steeled himself as a blast of cold air hit his now exposed torso.

"Oh, he's perfect. He's not overly muscled but just right. Look at his golden stomach. It looks so perfect to do some art upon, right?"

Naruto no longer kept track of who said what. He tensed as he felt a cold metal lightly dragged over his stomach. Just as the pressure increased slightly, one of then told the other to wait.

"Just like sex, we need foreplay." The statement was said in earnest as if it was a life motto that had to be upheld at any cost.

"Oh-hohoho, I almost forgot."

A moment of quietness passed through the room before something was being stuck to different parts of his chest and upper stomach. He heard the flip of a switch seconds before his body jerked upwards and cramped painfully as courses of electricity ran through him. The skin beneath whatever they had stuck on him felt hot and soon it as if it was burning through his skin. He involuntary thrashed against the hard surface in pain as shock after shock coursed through him. His restrained limbs only made his movements more agonizing. He felt his toes and fingers clench so tightly, it hurt. He forced himself not to say a thing as his jaw clenched shut. Just as he felt his heart start to ache in his chest, the electricity ceased. He jerked with the aftereffects of the shock. Tremors ran through his body along with a deep seeping pain. He tasted the familiar metallic taste of blood in his mouth. He had bitten down on his tongue during the process. Heavily breathing in air to compensate for his loss of oxygen, he pulled in the disgusting scent of burnt flesh.

Within his chest, he felt his heart spasm so erratically for a few more seconds that he thought it would give out. He almost hoped that it did.

"Oh ho, not bad." A voice said above him, impressed.

The pounding in his head threatened to knock him out but it was a fucking tease.

Another voice squealed in delight. "Now we can start!"

Naruto did not even have time to catch his breath before a hot blade pierced into his right side. Burning flesh filled the air. Choking down his scream, the bounded blonde clenched his hands tighter yet, digging into his already abused flesh.

"Hmm, I have the perfect words to describe our blondie here!"

More agony flooded his senses when a sharp instrument was dragged deeply across his stomach in what he was certain were letters. He ground his head down against the surface of metal table as his limbs spasmed with the effort to free themselves to remove the things that were causing him gut-wrenching pain.

"Seeing you try so hard not to scream only makes me feel more motivated. I really want to take out my anger on your man whore for fucking up my eye, but you'll do just fine," a hot breath whispered against his ears. Naruto could not quite stop the shudder of disgust that ran through him.

"Okay, time to really get you singing like a lark." A cheery chuckle sounded.

Something whirred ominously to his right.

"Open your eyes if you don't want me to slice off your eyelids. It would be a shame too."

Naruto was still disoriented from the excruciating sensation summating to form an ungodly sensation that he did not think a human was meant to live through. Why could he not fall unconscious? When will this stop? Surely, an hour had passed.

"Open your fucking eyes!" Sasori's voice shouted, shocking him into following his command.

Bright light assaulted his eyes as his breath came out in shuddering gasps. Everything hurt.

"Oh, look what you did to your hands! Poor baby. Sasori, we should do something." Deidara said sympathetically said at his left side as he tried to straighten his fingers curled into a fist.

Cerulean eyes widened slightly as he watched in well-hidden horror as the redhead rested a drill back unto a tray before walking to his partner's side.

A glance was spared at his closed limbs before he murmured an, "I agree."

An ominously large serrated knife was picked up and Naruto felt fear and sickness thick on his shifted uselessly on the table. Deidara was still trying to get him to open his hands.

"Open your hand," came the short man's order.

With a bravado that Naruto did not know he still possessed, he stared at him defiantly.

"Open your hands otherwise I will cut off your whole hand. It doesn't bother me either way."

Those dead chocolate eyes spoke the volumes of violence barely contained within his small body.

His breathing increased twofold, jolting the injuries on his stomach and sending waves of renewed pain through his system. Trembling, he slowly laid his hands flat against the surface.

"See that was not hard?" Deidara cooed running his fingers through his hair as if he were soothing a child. The supine man resisted the urge to hauck up as much phlegm as he could just to aim it at the offender. "For your good behaviour we will only do one so you'll learn your lesson not to inflict damage unto yourself, alright?"

The blonde at his head looked expectantly at the redhead. Naruto's heart sank as the blade was lined up with his pinkie finger. The breath rushed out of him in quick, short spurts. He raised his eyes to the ceiling as he felt the blade sawing over his finger, breaking the skin. He groaned in pain as heighted anguish registered in his brain. He felt the blade reach his bone and all he could do to prevent himself from screaming outright was to clench his teeth together in a way he was certain would chip some of the enamel.

"Sasori, you're not doing it right. Do it one fell swoop."

"Tch."

Naruto watched as the blade was raised and sharply brought down. It was then impossible for Naruto to contain his vocal outburst of pain. He thrashed wildly against the metal table as intense agony ran up his left hand at what was now definitely missing.

"Oops…" Sasori said emotionlessly.

Tears flowed from his eyes and into hair as he tried not to sputter incoherently, pathetically at his mutilated hand, two fingers absent. He closed his mouth to muffle his screams, trying to control his breathing. His heart thumped loudly in his ears as he felt what was surely blood pool under his hand and soak his jeans.

"Sasori," the other scolded lightly.

The shorter man probably shrugged. "At least we got him to scream."

"True, what would be another good place to cut off?"

Sasori smiled uncharacteristically. Things were getting even more exciting. He walked back over to his side, picking up his drill.

"We better hurry. We only have ten more minutes."

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

Sasuke wiped the blood from off his hands with a hand towel handed to him before he carelessly flung it to the floor in disgust. The moon hung full in the darkened sky as he stepped out of the dilapidated building. It was maybe an hour past midnight. The cool air was refreshing after a night saturated with the scent of blood, piss and shit. It had taken too fucking long to break the silver-haired son of a bitch. But nothing could stop someone like him who was on the verge of madness and hungry for blood. The unfamiliar screams in his ears near the ending of their impersonal session was like music to his ears. He had gotten the information he had wanted. Hidan had sung quite beautifully about all their group's secrets after he had sawed off a few appendages and some. Well, the blade halfway through his dick was really what did it but he liked to think that all his efforts in other aspects had contributed to his overall success.

After he had spilled his guts about the leader, fucking Orochimaru, their main hideout where the fucker was sure to be and their sponsors, he had completely lopped off the offending body part just for the heck of it. Dispassionately, he watched as the man curled in on himself, sputtering nonsensical words. Gone was his masochistic inappropriate humour. He had never felt such sadistic delight as he did then. He left him then, knowing that he only had an hour at most with the rate he was bleeding.

His phone rang again. As per usual, he ignored it. His hands twitched with the need to kill. It was time to get his dobe back. Before that, he needed to inlist the help of someone who owed him a favour. Just as he was about to slide into the backseat of his car, wheels echoed over the pitch as a familiar silver car pulled up to his. As much as he wanted to, he could not ignore the person which stepped out of the vehicle.

With a blank face and matching tone, he greeted the unwelcomed guest. "Hatake."

"What the fuck is going on?" All pleasantries were thrown out the window. The older man was pissed. Not that Sasuke had enough sense of give a shit.

"I'm cleaning up the fucking streets once and for all. Don't get in my way." The raven made to resume his task of entering the car.

The grey-haired man power walked up to him and slipped past Jurou with minimal effort. "Your actions have been putting the mission at jeopardy. Mu is kicking up a fuss and wants to back out of the operation. No one in the Kimikaze group knows of your whereabouts and Danzo himself in on the verge of sending out troops to scourge the streets to find you. You are messing up the entire mission that is supposed to happen today. I deserve an explanation. We all do. Taking down Akatsuki is the priority here. Why did you take Hidan from police custody? Fuck, Sasuke. Do you realize the chaos your actions have created?" The older man dragged his hand through his hair roughly.

"The hell I give a fuck. The priority is still the same. However, I'm going after the head. Killing small fry is not going to sate me. I'll fucking burn this entire country down if I have to. Foster father or not, if you stand in my way, I'll gut you down without a twitch of hesitation. Things are now personal. Back the fuck off and go home, Hatake. Your assistance is no longer required."

Kakashi took an involuntary step backwards at the blatant threat directed towards himself. Sasuke's eyes were icily dead. There was no hiding the bloodlust rolling off him in waves. The raven had never directed those eyes at him before. It set off alarm bells in his head. The young man was about to do something stupidly dangerous and there was no one that had the means to stop him. In this state, he doubted that he would even listen to Danzo's orders. What really happened?

Sasuke sat in the car seat and waited for Jurou to close the door.

"Sasuke, whatever you are going to do, please rethink it. Contact Kimikaze. You're going about this wrong. What will Naruto do if some-"Kakashi's voice died off as something clicked in his mind.

The obsidian eyes became colder if that was even possible.

"Jurou," Sasuke murmured, the silent order clear.

The elder man once more prevented the other from leaving. "What happened to Naruto?" His voice was sharp and unforgiving.

The look thrown his way was all he needed to know. He felt as if a breath was knocked out of him, leaving him winded. Uchiha's sudden madness now made sense.

"When?" he asked quietly.

When he was met with silence, he repeated his question with a raised voice. He was livid. There was always a possibility that Naruto would have been dragged into this mess the moment he got involved with Sasuke but he had thought, had trusted, that his son would keep his cute employee safe at all costs. The blonde had been through enough.

"Yesterday evening."

"Jesus fucking Christ," Kakashi breathed out.

"Go home, Hatake. I'll take care of it."

"Like hell you will. You already fucked up. I'm not sitting this one out. Put on your big boy panties and fucking suck it up. Right now you have no right to stop me."

Irritation travelled across the yakuza's face. Things were not exactly going as planned. Though, things usually never did when the man with gravity-defying hair was involved.

"Where are you headed next?"

A long pause of contemplation was given before he responded quietly. There was little to no options on his course of action now. He was rather good at barking ominously at his father-figure. "I'm going to recruit Jinchuuriki. Time to call in what they owe."

Kakashi shook his head with a grim expression. He had suggested it before but now that it actually was going to happen, he felt slightly nervous. Enlisting the help of the darkest group in the underworld was a daunting task. Not many outsiders walked away from an encounter with them unscathed. Wasn't he a lucky fellow that he'd finally be able to put faces to names which he only knew from rumours.

"Let's get a fucking move on it then. Time is not a luxury." Kakashi turned to walk to his car with the intention of following the raven but paused. "Oh Uchiha, the next time you threaten me, I'll acquaint your tongue with my car's lighter."

* * *

XOXO XOXO

* * *

The car door slammed shut with a loud bang. As Kakashi looked warily at the huge warehouse before him which seemed unoccupied and lifeless, he took out his Browning and swiftly checked his magazine to see that everything was okay should they need any harsh counter-measures. The yakuza, who had just stepped out of his own vehicle, threw a dispassionate glance in his direction then turned to take a handful of meaningful strides towards the entrance of the building.

The building was a plain one, nothing significant set it apart from any other warehouse. The outer walls were a dull grey, splattered with mould and peeling paint here and there. The roof was also a grey that showed much signs of rusting. The only thing that looked partially presentable was the door that seemed heavy set and was made of a high quality metal. There were huge bolts holding the door in place with padlocks and locks as big as a man's fist. There was no doubt in the two men's mind that any other entrances were treated with any less security.

"You will not need that," Uchiha said dryly referring to Hatake's armed hand. Jurou faithfully shuffled to his side even though there was no real threat present. Jinchuuriki had definitely ensured that security was airtight.

Kakashi didn't even bother to glance at his son. "I will be the judge of that."

The men reached the door in only a few seconds but those seconds were overflowing with tension and caution. Well, at least on Kakashi's part. With one hand casually in pocket, the raven gave two swift knocks on the door. There was a series of knocks in reply to which Sasuke answered with a patterned series himself. The gray-haired man raised an eyebrow indicating how unimpressed he was by the 'secret code'. The other gave a soft grunt of irritation and focused on the door that was opening with a low rumbling heaviness. Protection at its highest. Standing in the doorway was a huge strapping man with white hair braided in cornrows down the back of his head. Shades obscured his eyes from view, hiding anything that indicated a sliver of danger. He was dark skinned and stood intimidating for anyone other than the pair in front of him.

A gruff voice ground out a greeting, "Yo, Uchiha. I see you've finally found your ass here. Sabaku is waiting in the back. Yugito will escort you."

Without even a look at the brunette woman beside the man, Sasuke proceeded to follow through with the instructions.

However, the guard-like man spoke once more. "Hey Uchiha, if I were you I would tell your companion to put away his gun. All of us here are on friendly terms… for now. It just seems a bad idea to have his gun out. The type of people here, with low tempers and very much trigger happy, will jump at anything they deem as antagonism just for the fun of having something to kill. Although Sabaku tries to keep everyone on a leash, accidents sometimes happen." A grin broke out on the man's face that held anything but innocence. It was a sign of the bloodlust inside of him. He too was one of the people who begged for an opportunity of have something to kill. They were just like rabid dogs.

Before the tension could manifest into something out of hand, the woman called Yugito spoke, "Killer B, pipe down, will you. Don't start anything that you would regret later. We owe Uchiha-san a favour. Should any harm come to him or his companions while in our care, it is sure to warrant Sabaku having our heads. Behave. Uchiha-san please follow me."

Uchiha gave Kakashi a jaded look. He did not have time to deal with this bullshit. It took four minutes of petulant staring before the older man finally holstered his gun. Ignoring the almost disappointed look on Killer B's face, the trio followed the brunette as she led them through corridors that all looked the same, black tiled floors and off-white walls. The door they stopped in front of was held no distinguishing features from the rest. Perhaps, this was another type of security. The woman stood in front of the door for a few moments then she opened the door as if by a silent command. After allowing them to enter, Yugito re-closed the door, enveloping the men in a blanket of darkness. The woman had remained outside.

With clear impatience, Sasuke drawled testily, "Isn't this a bit too much?"

A grunting sound was heard before the room was flooded with light. The room was lightly furnished. No, that was an understatement. The room only had a grand desk and a chair behind it which was occupied by the man who they were to deal with. There was not even a plant to take away from the bleakness and plain dark colours of the space. Typical.

"You really haven't changed much. The least you could have done was put chairs for guests to sit in while conversing with you." Sasuke took to leaning languidly on the nearby wall.

The red-head looked at him blankly, giving none of his thoughts away. When he spoke, his voice was as deep as it was monotone. His eyes was the only thing that gave away how deadly and dangerous he was when he was silent. "This is a unique situation. You know that most of my business transactions are done outside of this office and requires a little more than pens and papers." There was a slight crinkling around his darkly circled eyes indicating his amusement at his underlying implication.

"True. But it is the thought and courtesy that counts."

"Besides trying to indoctrinate me, shouldn't we be discussing the means by which we are to return your favour?" Sabaku leant forward a bit, resting his elbows on his desk.

"I've already sent you the information on Akatsukiso you should know all about their activities since introducing themselves a while back." There was a nod of affirmation. "The reason I want your help is because I need skilled men that could put an end to this mess swiftly and as quietly as possible. Akatsuki's bullshit has gone on long enough." Sasuke paused darkly as he tightly reined in his slipping mask.

"Their actions have truly begun to affect our businesses as well. For once, our interests align. What's the plan? Whatever it is I'll go along with it as long as I get to spill as much blood as I can." His sea-green took on an intense quality.

"It's simple. We hit their main base in Okinawa then slaughter everyone. Their boss should be there too. That's the only fucker I call dibs on. I want to mutilate that unfortunate son of a bitch myself."

Teal eyes sat contemplatively upon him for a minute. "Hmm. Okinawa? How did you find out?"

"Got it from one of the members pretty high up in the group. With the methods I used, the info is quite reliable."

"I see." Another round of silence floated through the bare room.

"Do you find any fault in the plan?"

"No. It sounds quite straight forward. We need to straighten out a few details but that's almost inconsequential. We can go through it quickly while you prepare whoever else is going with you… if there are going to be more people, that is." His gaze ran over the other two in the room. Nothing revealed what the redhead was thinking.

"Do we leave from here?" The raven asked in a tone that was almost bored.

"That will be ideal, Uchiha." Gaara drawled in return. "Let's aim for no more than twenty men. More might draw more attention than necessary. We'll leave here in three hours after we've all gathered then head to Osaka. Okinawa is fucking far so we'll have to take our plane." A slender finger tapped the surface of the desk and he mentally worked through the details. "We should be in the fuckers' territory by next nightfall."

The raven nodded. He quite liked the sound of that. He turned to Jurou and quietly ordered him to call his personal team and direct them to this location. He also gave him a list of ammunition he needed to pick up for them. With a respectful bow, his bodyguard agilely stepped out of the room to get started on his tasks.

Kakashi blew out a heavy breath. There were some things he needed to prepare too if he was going to be walking into what was surely to be a warzone. He told Sasuke as such and briskly exited the room while simultaneously fishing his phone from his pocket.

"Don't you dare leave without me, Uchiha." The silver haired man threw over his shoulder.

The yakuza stared after him, expertly keeping the frown that desperately wanted to form off his face. He would really prefer if the old man sat this one out. When everything went to shit, it would be each man for themselves. He had hoped that Hatake would die of old age rather than an untimely gun fight that really had nothing to do with him. He knew the other would say otherwise though. Truly, he felt as if he were years older; closer to Kakashi's age than his own.

"So are you going to tell me the real reason you've come to me rather than rally up your own men for this attack?"

A dark eyebrow raised in feigned ignorance.

"Don't fuck with me, Uchiha. Your mask has been slipping since you entered this room."

"It's none of your business."

"So you'd rather we all go in blind without the real objective I'm certain you have?"

The raven shifted against the wall, studying the person in front of him. Sabaku was not the person one personally gave up one's weakness to.

"It's something that I'll handle myself…" was all he was willing to give.

"Hoh?" Teal eyes drifted along his desk in front of his intertwined fingers. "It would not have to do with the blond young man you've become involved with recently, would it?"

Sasuke tensed immediately, suddenly wishing he had followed Kakashi's lead in bringing his Exterminator. He slackened his posture and casually glanced around the office for potential weapons should things really start going south.

"Relax, Uchiha." Gaara released a small breathy sound that might have been a laugh. "Don't start thinking of ways to kill me just yet. It was a harmless statement and a fact that just about anyone with influence in the underworld knows. Come on, your relationship is hardly a secret. Seeing as how we're allied now and neutral at worst during other times, we present no harm to your lover. I just want to know the entirety of the situation."

When all the yakuza did was continue his eerily disquieting observation, he continued, "By your silence then, I can assume that this is as much of a rescue mission as it is one of annihilation."

The conversation continued its one-sidedness once more. Just when the Jinchuuriki leader had given up getting something substantial from the raven, the latter spoke.

"I can't look at my men properly without wanting to put a bullet in their heads for a failure that, if I could think straight, was not their fault at all. I just feel half-crazed with rage, I'm barely thinking logically. But I feel the most anger towards myself." Uchiha slowly crouched down to the floor. Resting an elbow on his knee, he shielded his eyes as he allowed his innermost emotions that conflicted him since yesterday to manifest in the way his brows frowned deeply and his jaw clenched together harshly.

"I let him get taken," he ground out. "Fuck."

Sabaku kept his gaze downwards. He did not think the proud man's momentary lapse in emotions was anything but private and deserved his discretion. It was a moment he could indulge in without the constant gaze of the men who followed him.

A few minutes lapsed before Gaara added in an unusually soft tone which he hoped would lessen the blow of his frank words. "As time continues to pass, I have to say, the chances of your lover being alive lessens drastically. If you do succeed, you will not get him back the same way you last saw him."

The yakuza's hand fell from his face to hang limply over his knee. His eyes wandered blindly, wearily along the opal smooth floor. "I know… I only need him to be alive."


End file.
